Natural hazards · Upton

Upton, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Upton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Upton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Upton to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding63%Hurricanes22%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Upton faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 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 Upton flood?

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

2paid claims since 1978

$1Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $595

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Upton 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 Upton

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into UptonDeclared for Worcester County only

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$45K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$63K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$56K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2011

Severe Storm and Snowstorm

$26K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$37K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $27K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$12K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $15K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$52K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2003

Snow

$53K to the Town of Upton for repairs

2001

Snow

$32K to the Town of Upton for repairs

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

Around Upton

Upton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Uptonmostly inland floodingModerate

Hopedalemostly inland floodingLow

Milfordmostly inland floodingLow

Northbridgemostly inland floodingLow

Mendonmostly inland floodingLow

Graftonmostly inland floodingLow

Westboroughmostly inland floodingVery low

Hopkintonmostly 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. Upton covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Upton’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Upton. 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 Upton 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.