Natural hazards · Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Shrewsbury comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1979. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Shrewsbury?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Shrewsbury to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding45%Hurricanes32%Cold waves6%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Shrewsbury faces

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

Inland flooding

45% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 9% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

32% 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 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Shrewsbury flood?

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

9paid claims since 1979

$33Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $573
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $4K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Shrewsbury 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 Shrewsbury

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ShrewsburyDeclared for Worcester County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $300 aid approved

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$131K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$284K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$113K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$462K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$53K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

86 households applied for aid $72K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$582K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

23 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $58K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$85K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2004

Flooding

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2003

Snow

$113K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

2001

Snow

$62K to the Town of Shrewsbury for repairs

Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Worcestermostly inland floodingLow

Northboroughmostly inland floodingLow

Graftonmostly inland floodingLow

Shrewsburymostly inland floodingVery low

Boylstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Westboroughmostly inland floodingVery low

West Boylstonmostly 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. Shrewsbury covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Shrewsbury’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Shrewsbury. 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 Shrewsbury 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.