Natural hazards · Plymouth

Plymouth, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Plymouth comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 334 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Plymouth?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding70%Hurricanes11%Everything else19%

By hazard

What Plymouth 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 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Plymouth flood?

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

334paid claims since 1978

$9.4Mpaid to owners

45homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

The “Halloween” storm: 96 claims, $2.3M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 32 claims, $448K
Hurricane Bob: 7 claims, $65K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Plymouth is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Plymouth County.

Disasters that hit Plymouth

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PlymouthDeclared for Plymouth County only

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$390K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$361K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$265K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$29K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$12K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$70K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2010

Hurricane Earl

$3K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

157 households applied for aid $338K aid approved $28K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$17K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$296K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

2003

Snow

$250K to the Town of Plymouth for repairs

Plymouth County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Plymouth

Plymouth and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Carvermostly inland floodingModerate

Warehammostly inland floodingLow

Duxburymostly inland floodingLow

Bournemostly inland floodingLow

Kingstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Plymouthmostly 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. Plymouth covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Plymouth’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Plymouth. 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 Plymouth total about $11.4M 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.