Natural hazards · Charlestown

Charlestown, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charlestown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 184 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Charlestown?

37
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charlestown to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Coastal flooding12%Hurricanes9%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Charlestown 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 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Coastal flooding

12% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% 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

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Charlestown flood?

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

184paid claims since 1978
$3.7Mpaid to owners
11homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 67 claims, $2.0M
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 46 claims, $1.2M
  • Hurricane Bob: 29 claims, $174K

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
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Charlestown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Washington County.
Disasters that hit Charlestown

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestownDeclared for Washington County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $9K aid approved
2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $15K aid approved
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$50K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$46K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$113K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

43 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $218K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$51K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

315 households applied for aid $578K aid approved $81K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$25K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
2003

Snow

$17K to the Town of Charlestown for repairs
Washington County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.
Around Charlestown

Charlestown and the towns around it

Richmond: Low, mostly inland floodingSouth Kingstown: Low, mostly inland floodingHopkinton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWesterly: Low, mostly inland floodingExeter: Very low, mostly inland floodingNarragansett: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Kingstown: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Stonington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStonington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouthold: Very low, mostly inland floodingCharlestown: Low, mostly inland flooding CharlestownRichmondSouth KingstownHopkintonWesterly
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Hopkintonmostly inland floodingModerate
Charlestownmostly inland floodingLow
Richmondmostly inland floodingLow
Westerlymostly inland floodingLow
South Kingstownmostly inland floodingLow
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. Charlestown covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Charlestown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Charlestown. 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 Charlestown total about $2.8M 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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