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Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2021. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Richmond?

35
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Hurricanes9%Cold waves6%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Richmond 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
Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Richmond flood?

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

1paid claims since 2021
$4Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20212026
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Richmond isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Berkshire County.
Disasters that hit Richmond

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for Berkshire County only
2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$6K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $13K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$10K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$6K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2003

Snow

$10K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2001

Snow

$3K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
Berkshire County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.
Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Lenox: Very low, mostly inland floodingHancock: Low, mostly inland floodingLee: High, mostly inland floodingStockbridge: High, mostly inland floodingWashington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPittsfield: High, mostly inland floodingNew Ashford: Low, mostly inland floodingLanesborough: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRichmond: Low, mostly inland flooding RichmondLenoxHancock
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Richmondmostly inland floodingLow
Hancockmostly inland floodingLow
Lenoxmostly 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. Richmond is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Richmond. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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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You’re in Richmond, MABerkshire CountyView boundary

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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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