Natural hazards · Heath

Heath, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Heath comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1987. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Heath?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Heath to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Cold waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Heath faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year 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

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Heath flood?

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

7paid claims since 1987

$61Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $41K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

Disasters that hit Heath

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HeathDeclared for Franklin County only

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$12K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$10K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $519K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$140K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$308K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved $80K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$8K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2003

Snow

$6K to the Town of Heath for repairs

2001

Snow

$6K to the Town of Heath for repairs

Franklin County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Heath

Heath and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Heathmostly inland floodingHigh

Charlemontmostly inland floodingHigh

Rowemostly inland floodingHigh

Colrainmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Heath covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Heath’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Heath. 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 Heath total about $2.1M 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.