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Natural hazards · Sandwich

Sandwich, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sandwich comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 169 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Sandwich?

44
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sandwich to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding50%Hurricanes22%Coastal flooding19%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Sandwich faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 39% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Coastal flooding

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 Sandwich flood?

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

169paid claims since 1978
$3.5Mpaid to owners
24homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • The “Halloween” storm: 52 claims, $696K
  • December Storm - Nor'easter: 14 claims, $160K
  • Hurricane Ida: 3 claims, $23K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Sandwich is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Barnstable County.
Disasters that hit Sandwich

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SandwichDeclared for Barnstable County only
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$119K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$129K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$44K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$27K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$44K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2010

Hurricane Earl

$11K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$11K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$15K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$101K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
2003

Snow

$107K to the Town of Sandwich for repairs
Barnstable County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Sandwich

Sandwich and the towns around it

Bourne: Low, mostly inland floodingMashpee: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarnstable Town: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFalmouth: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWareham: Low, mostly inland floodingPlymouth: Very low, mostly inland floodingMarion: Low, mostly inland floodingYarmouth: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGosnold: Low, mostly inland floodingSandwich: Moderate, mostly inland flooding SandwichBourneMashpeeBarnstable TownFalmouth
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Mashpeemostly inland floodingModerate
Barnstable Townmostly inland floodingModerate
Falmouthmostly inland floodingModerate
Sandwichmostly inland floodingModerate
Bournemostly 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. Sandwich covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sandwich’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Sandwich. 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 Sandwich total about $6.2M 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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