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Natural hazards · Whitman

Whitman, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Whitman comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 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 Whitman?

20
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Whitman to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Hurricanes11%Everything else19%
By hazard

What Whitman faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 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 Whitman flood?

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

14paid claims since 1978
$211Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • The “Halloween” storm: 4 claims, $143K
  • December Storm - Nor'easter: 2 claims, $52K
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $1K

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

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WhitmanDeclared for Plymouth County only
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$37K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$76K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$6K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$18K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$33K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2010

Hurricane Earl

$9K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

130 households applied for aid $132K aid approved $18K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$11K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $65K aid approved
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$66K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
2003

Snow

$74K to the Town of Whitman for repairs
Plymouth County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Whitman

Whitman and the towns around it

East Bridgewater: Low, mostly inland floodingBrockton: Low, mostly inland floodingAbington: Low, mostly inland floodingHanson: Very low, mostly inland floodingBridgewater Town: Low, mostly inland floodingHalifax: Low, mostly inland floodingWest Bridgewater: Very low, mostly inland floodingEaston: Low, mostly inland floodingRockland: Very low, mostly inland floodingHanover: Very low, mostly inland floodingPembroke: Very low, mostly inland floodingWhitman: Low, mostly inland flooding WhitmanEast BridgewaterBrocktonAbingtonHanson
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
East Bridgewatermostly inland floodingLow
Brocktonmostly inland floodingLow
Abingtonmostly inland floodingLow
Whitmanmostly inland floodingLow
Hansonmostly 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. Whitman covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Whitman’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Whitman. 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 Whitman total about $2.2M 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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