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Natural hazards · Bristol

Bristol, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bristol comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 145 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bristol?

3
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bristol to be higher than in 3% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding59%Hurricanes16%Lightning7%Everything else18%
By hazard

What Bristol faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 7% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

16% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lightning

7% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

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 Bristol flood?

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

145paid claims since 1978
$1.5Mpaid to owners
12homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 55 claims, $568K
  • Hurricane Bob: 25 claims, $239K
  • Hurricane Sandy: 7 claims, $173K

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Bristol

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BristolDeclared for Bristol County only
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$94K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$36K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$40K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$153K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$142K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

550 households applied for aid $589K aid approved $157K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$66K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
Bristol County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.
Around Bristol

Bristol and the towns around it

Portsmouth: Very low, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very low, mostly inland floodingTiverton: Very low, mostly inland floodingBarrington: Low, mostly inland floodingWarwick: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Kingstown: Low, mostly inland floodingMiddletown: Very low, mostly inland floodingJamestown: Very low, mostly inland floodingLittle Compton: Very low, mostly inland floodingSwansea: Very low, mostly inland floodingFall River: Low, mostly inland floodingWestport: Very low, mostly inland floodingEast Providence: Very low, mostly inland floodingBristol: Very low, mostly inland flooding BristolPortsmouthWarrenTivertonBarrington
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Barringtonmostly inland floodingLow
Tivertonmostly inland floodingVery low
Warrenmostly inland floodingVery low
Portsmouthmostly inland floodingVery low
Bristolmostly 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. Bristol covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bristol’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bristol. 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 Bristol total about $3.2M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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