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Natural hazards · Northbridge

Northbridge, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northbridge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 26 claims here since 1987. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Northbridge?

22
Low
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding48%Hurricanes28%Cold waves6%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Northbridge faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

28% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Northbridge flood?

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

26paid claims since 1987
$664Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19872026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $1K
  • April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K
  • Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $4K

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. Northbridge isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Worcester County.
Disasters that hit Northbridge

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthbridgeDeclared for Worcester County only
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$68K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$90K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$59K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$3K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $6K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$4K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

39 households applied for aid $61K aid approved $55K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$35K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2003

Snow

$54K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
2001

Snow

$21K to the Town of Northbridge for repairs
Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Northbridge

Northbridge and the towns around it

Upton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSutton: Very low, mostly inland floodingUxbridge: Low, mostly inland floodingGrafton: Low, mostly inland floodingMilford: Low, mostly inland floodingHopkinton: Very low, mostly inland floodingMendon: Low, mostly inland floodingHopedale: Low, mostly inland floodingWestborough: Very low, mostly inland floodingMillbury: Low, mostly inland floodingDouglas: Low, mostly inland floodingOxford: Low, mostly inland floodingMillville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingShrewsbury: Very low, mostly inland floodingWorcester: Low, mostly inland floodingNorthbridge: Low, mostly inland flooding NorthbridgeUptonSuttonUxbridgeGrafton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Uptonmostly inland floodingModerate
Uxbridgemostly inland floodingLow
Northbridgemostly inland floodingLow
Graftonmostly inland floodingLow
Suttonmostly 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. Northbridge covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Northbridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Northbridge. 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 Northbridge total about $2.8M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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