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Natural hazards · Methuen

Methuen, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Methuen comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 96 claims here since 1979. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Methuen?

36
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Methuen to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Earthquakes7%Tornadoes6%Hurricanes6%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Methuen faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Methuen flood?

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

96paid claims since 1979
$1.2Mpaid to owners
16homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • April 2007 Nor'easter: 9 claims, $67K
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 6 claims, $39K
  • Not a named storm: 3 claims, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MethuenDeclared for Essex County only
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$274K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$100K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$283K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$216K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$41K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$193K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

159 households applied for aid $181K aid approved $101K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$407K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$45K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

419 households applied for aid $721K aid approved $836K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$219K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2004

Flooding

49 households applied for aid $82K aid approved
2003

Snow

$266K to the City of Methuen for repairs
2001

Snow

$159K to the City of Methuen for repairs
Essex County has had 34 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Methuen

Methuen and the towns around it

Andover: Low, mostly inland floodingHaverhill: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Andover: Low, mostly inland floodingLawrence: Very high, mostly inland floodingSalem: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDracut: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPelham: High, mostly inland floodingTewksbury: Very low, mostly inland floodingWilmington: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Reading: Low, mostly inland floodingGroveland: Low, mostly inland floodingWest Newbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBoxford: Very low, mostly inland floodingMerrimac: Low, mostly inland floodingAtkinson: Low, mostly inland floodingPlaistow: Low, mostly inland floodingMiddleton: Low, mostly inland floodingWindham: Low, mostly inland floodingDerry: Moderate, mostly inland floodingTyngsborough: Low, mostly inland floodingLowell: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHudson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMethuen: Low, mostly inland flooding MethuenAndoverHaverhillNorth AndoverLawrenceSalemDracutPelham
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Lawrencemostly inland floodingVery high
Pelhammostly inland floodingHigh
Haverhillmostly inland floodingModerate
Dracutmostly inland floodingModerate
Salemmostly inland floodingModerate
Andovermostly inland floodingLow
Methuenmostly inland floodingLow
North Andovermostly 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. Methuen covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Methuen’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Methuen. 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 Methuen total about $10.6M 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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