Natural hazards · Millis

Millis, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Millis comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Millis?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Millis to be higher than in 22% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Hurricanes10%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Millis 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

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 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 Millis flood?

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

10paid claims since 1979

$20Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 3 claims, $8K
December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K

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. Millis isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Norfolk County.

Disasters that hit Millis

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MillisDeclared for Norfolk County only

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$93K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$82K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$89K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$88K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$80K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$43K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

49 households applied for aid $55K aid approved $198K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$47K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2003

Snow

$60K to the Town of Millis for repairs

2001

Snow

$31K to the Town of Millis for repairs

Norfolk County has had 31 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Millis

Millis and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Medwaymostly inland floodingLow

Millismostly inland floodingLow

Hollistonmostly inland floodingLow

Medfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Sherbornmostly inland floodingVery low

Norfolkmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Millis covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Millis’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Millis. 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 Millis total about $1.7M 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.