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Natural hazards · Watertown

Watertown, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Watertown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Watertown?

28
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Watertown to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Hurricanes9%Earthquakes6%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Watertown faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Watertown flood?

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

14paid claims since 1979
$797Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 5 claims, $378K
  • Not a named storm: 4 claims, $238K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Watertown isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Middlesex County.
Disasters that hit Watertown

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WatertownDeclared for Middlesex County only
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$259K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$239K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$36K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$146K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

177 households applied for aid $178K aid approved $8K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $51K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$191K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2003

Snow

$289K to the City of Watertown for repairs
2001

Snow

$133K to the City of Watertown for repairs
Middlesex County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Watertown

Watertown and the towns around it

Newton: Low, mostly inland floodingBoston: Very low, mostly inland floodingBelmont: Low, mostly inland floodingCambridge: Low, mostly inland floodingWaltham: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNeedham: Very low, mostly inland floodingWellesley: Low, mostly inland floodingWeston: Very low, mostly inland floodingBrookline: Very low, mostly inland floodingMilton: Low, mostly inland floodingWinthrop Town: Low, mostly inland floodingDedham: Very low, mostly inland floodingRevere: Low, mostly inland floodingQuincy: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChelsea: Low, mostly inland floodingEverett: Low, mostly inland floodingHull: Very high, mostly coastal floodingArlington: High, mostly inland floodingLexington: Very low, mostly inland floodingSomerville: Low, mostly inland floodingLincoln: Very low, mostly inland floodingWatertown: Low, mostly inland flooding WatertownNewtonBostonBelmontCambridgeWaltham
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Walthammostly inland floodingModerate
Belmontmostly inland floodingLow
Watertownmostly inland floodingLow
Newtonmostly inland floodingLow
Cambridgemostly inland floodingLow
Bostonmostly 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. Watertown covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Watertown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Watertown. 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 Watertown total about $6.1M 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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