Natural hazards · Sterling

Sterling, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sterling comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2010. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sterling?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sterling to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding51%Hurricanes26%Cold waves7%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Sterling faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Sterling flood?

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

1paid claims since 2010

$7Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20102026

Biggest named events

March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $7K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Sterling 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 Sterling

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SterlingDeclared for Worcester County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $31K aid approved

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$32K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$34K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$41K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$904K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$29K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

2003

Snow

$35K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

2001

Snow

$16K to the Town of Sterling for repairs

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

Around Sterling

Sterling and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lancastermostly inland floodingLow

Sterlingmostly inland floodingVery low

Princetonmostly inland floodingVery low

Holdenmostly inland floodingVery low

West Boylstonmostly inland floodingVery low

Clintonmostly hurricanesVery 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. Sterling covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sterling’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Sterling. 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 Sterling total about $1.7M 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.