Natural hazards · Somerset

Somerset, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Somerset comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 36 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 Somerset?

9
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Somerset to be higher than in 9% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding69%Hurricanes15%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Somerset faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

15% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 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 Somerset flood?

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

36paid claims since 1978
$140Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 11 claims, $58K
  • Hurricane Bob: 10 claims, $31K
  • Hurricane Sandy: 3 claims, $24K

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

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SomersetDeclared for Bristol County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $750 aid approved
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$19K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$58K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$53K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$32K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$12K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

353 households applied for aid $540K aid approved $46K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $8K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$52K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
2003

Snow

$47K to the Town of Somerset for repairs
Bristol County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Somerset

Somerset and the towns around it

Swansea: Very low, mostly inland floodingDighton: Low, mostly inland floodingFall River: Low, mostly inland floodingFreetown: Low, mostly inland floodingBerkley: Low, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very low, mostly inland floodingRehoboth: Low, mostly inland floodingSeekonk: Very low, mostly inland floodingTaunton: Low, mostly inland floodingWestport: Very low, mostly inland floodingTiverton: Very low, mostly inland floodingAcushnet: Very low, mostly inland floodingLakeville: Low, mostly inland floodingSomerset: Very low, mostly inland flooding SomersetSwanseaDightonFall RiverFreetownBerkley
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Freetownmostly inland floodingLow
Fall Rivermostly inland floodingLow
Berkleymostly inland floodingLow
Dightonmostly inland floodingLow
Swanseamostly inland floodingVery low
Somersetmostly 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. Somerset covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Somerset’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Somerset. 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 Somerset total about $2.0M 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