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Natural hazards · Northampton

Northampton, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northampton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 62 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Northampton?

36
Low
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding69%Hurricanes11%Everything else20%
By hazard

What Northampton faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 11 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 Northampton flood?

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

62paid claims since 1979
$776Kpaid to owners
11homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 12 claims, $248K
  • Hurricane Floyd: 5 claims, $61K
  • December Nor'easter: 4 claims, $42K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Northampton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Hampshire County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3homes raised above flood level
2buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Northampton

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthamptonDeclared for Hampshire County only
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$85K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$206K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

1 household applied for aid $72K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$54K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$85K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$31K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$63K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2003

Snow

$68K to the City of Northampton for repairs
2001

Snow

$41K to the City of Northampton for repairs
Hampshire County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.
Around Northampton

Northampton and the towns around it

Hadley: Low, mostly inland floodingEasthampton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHatfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Hadley: Low, mostly inland floodingAmherst Town: Low, mostly inland floodingSouthampton: Low, mostly inland floodingHolyoke: Low, mostly inland floodingWhately: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWilliamsburg: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthampton: Low, mostly inland flooding NorthamptonHadleyEasthamptonHatfield
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Hatfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
Easthamptonmostly inland floodingModerate
Hadleymostly inland floodingLow
Northamptonmostly 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. Northampton covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Northampton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Northampton. 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 Northampton total about $7.7M 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.

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