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Natural hazards · Sturbridge

Sturbridge, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sturbridge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1982. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Sturbridge?

34
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sturbridge to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding65%Hurricanes18%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Sturbridge faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

18% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Sturbridge flood?

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

7paid claims since 1982
$38Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 1 claim, $852

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. Sturbridge 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 Sturbridge

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SturbridgeDeclared for Worcester County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$90K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$59K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$1.2M to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$22K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

62 households applied for aid $24K aid approved $189K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $409 aid approved
2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$18K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $70K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$35K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2003

Snow

$55K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
2001

Snow

$19K to the Town of Sturbridge for repairs
Worcester County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Sturbridge

Sturbridge and the towns around it

Southbridge Town: High, mostly inland floodingBrookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCharlton: Low, mostly inland floodingHolland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBrimfield: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Brookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDudley: Low, mostly inland floodingWest Brookfield: High, mostly inland floodingNorth Brookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOxford: Low, mostly inland floodingSpencer: Low, mostly inland floodingWales: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPalmer Town: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWarren: Low, mostly inland floodingMonson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSturbridge: Low, mostly inland flooding SturbridgeSouthbridge TownBrookfieldCharltonHollandBrimfieldEast Brookfield
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Southbridge Townmostly inland floodingHigh
Brookfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
East Brookfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
Hollandmostly inland floodingModerate
Brimfieldmostly inland floodingLow
Sturbridgemostly inland floodingLow
Charltonmostly 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. Sturbridge covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sturbridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Sturbridge. 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 Sturbridge total about $2.9M 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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