Natural hazards · Worcester

Worcester, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Worcester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 186 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Worcester?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Worcester to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding49%Hurricanes26%Cold waves7%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Worcester faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Worcester flood?

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

186paid claims since 1978

$5.5Mpaid to owners

26homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 8 claims, $95K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 6 claims, $44K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 3 claims, $23K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Worcester is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Worcester County.

Disasters that hit Worcester

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WorcesterDeclared for Worcester County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $78K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

4 households applied for aid $200 aid approved

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

137 households applied for aid $157K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

224 households applied for aid $368K aid approved

2004

Flooding

7 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

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

Around Worcester

Worcester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Worcestermostly inland floodingLow

Millburymostly inland floodingLow

Graftonmostly inland floodingLow

Auburnmostly inland floodingVery low

Shrewsburymostly inland floodingVery low

West Boylstonmostly 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. Worcester covers 46 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Worcester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Worcester. 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 Worcester total about $30.7M 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.