Natural hazards · Hancock

Hancock, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hancock comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2000. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hancock?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hancock to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Hurricanes9%Cold waves6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Hancock faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Hancock flood?

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

1paid claims since 2000

$4Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20002026

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Hancock isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Berkshire County.

Disasters that hit Hancock

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HancockDeclared for Berkshire County only

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

1 household applied for aid $6K aid approved $9K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$1K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$13K to the Town of Hancock for repairs

Berkshire County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Hancock

Hancock and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pittsfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Lanesboroughmostly inland floodingModerate

Hancockmostly inland floodingLow

New Ashfordmostly inland floodingLow

Richmondmostly 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. Hancock covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hancock’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Hancock. 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 Hancock total about $794K 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.