Natural hazards · Norfolk

Norfolk, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Norfolk comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 36 claims here since 1979. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Norfolk?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Norfolk to be higher than in 13% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Hurricanes12%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Norfolk 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

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% 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 Norfolk flood?

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

36paid claims since 1979

$155Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 7 claims, $11K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 6 claims, $45K
The “Halloween” storm: 2 claims, $25K

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. Norfolk 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 Norfolk

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorfolkDeclared for Norfolk County only

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$74K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$94K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$39K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$93K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$78K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$66K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$65K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

95 households applied for aid $90K aid approved $21K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$67K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2003

Snow

$106K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

2001

Snow

$55K to the Town of Norfolk for repairs

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

Around Norfolk

Norfolk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Medwaymostly inland floodingLow

Millismostly inland floodingLow

Medfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Norfolkmostly inland floodingVery low

Walpolemostly inland floodingVery low

Wrenthammostly inland floodingVery low

Franklin Townmostly 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. Norfolk covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Norfolk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Norfolk. 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 Norfolk total about $2.0M 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.