Natural hazards · Hampden

Hampden, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hampden comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 17 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations
Expected damage

How exposed is Hampden?

52
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hampden to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Hurricanes13%Everything else15%
By hazard

What Hampden faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

13% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Flood insurance claims

Does Hampden flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Hampden, from FEMA’s records.

17paid claims since 1979
$473Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 3 claims, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Hampden isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Hampden County.
Disasters that hit Hampden

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Hampden itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Hampden.

Brought FEMA money into HampdenDeclared for Hampden County only
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Hampden for repairs
2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$225K to the Town of Hampden for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

16 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Town of Hampden for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $48K aid approved $38K to the Town of Hampden for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$9K to the Town of Hampden for repairs
2003

Snow

$19K to the Town of Hampden for repairs
Hampden County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Hampden

Hampden and the towns around it

Wilbraham: Low, mostly inland floodingMonson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLudlow: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPalmer Town: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBrimfield: Low, mostly inland floodingWales: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStafford: High, mostly inland floodingHampden: Moderate, mostly inland flooding HampdenWilbrahamMonson
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Hampdenmostly inland floodingModerate
Monsonmostly inland floodingModerate
Wilbrahammostly inland floodingLow
About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.
Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Hampden covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hampden’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Hampden. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Hampden total about $1.4M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01