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Natural hazards · Cranston

Cranston, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cranston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 438 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 Cranston?

46
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cranston to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Hurricanes7%Heat waves6%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Cranston faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Cranston flood?

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

438paid claims since 1978
$16.2Mpaid to owners
76homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 207 claims, $11.6M
  • Not a named storm: 28 claims, $217K
  • Hurricane Bob: 4 claims, $61K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

53flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
4buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Cranston

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CranstonDeclared for Providence County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

435 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved
2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

188 households applied for aid $746K aid approved
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

129 households applied for aid $421K aid approved
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$312K to the City of Cranston for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$386K to the City of Cranston for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$345K to the City of Cranston for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$1.4M to the City of Cranston for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

2,487 households applied for aid $4.5M aid approved $1.3M to the City of Cranston for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$205K to the City of Cranston for repairs
2003

Snow

$105K to the City of Cranston for repairs
Providence County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.
Around Cranston

Cranston and the towns around it

Warwick: Low, mostly inland floodingJohnston: Low, mostly inland floodingProvidence: Low, mostly inland floodingScituate: Low, mostly inland floodingCoventry: Low, mostly inland floodingWest Warwick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEast Providence: Very low, mostly inland floodingNorth Kingstown: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Greenwich: Low, mostly inland floodingPortsmouth: Very low, mostly inland floodingBarrington: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Providence: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSmithfield: Low, mostly inland floodingPawtucket: Low, mostly inland floodingFoster: Low, mostly inland floodingGlocester: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Greenwich: Very low, mostly inland floodingSterling: High, mostly inland floodingSeekonk: Very low, mostly inland floodingCranston: Moderate, mostly inland flooding CranstonWarwickJohnstonProvidenceScituateCoventryWest WarwickEast Providence
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Cranstonmostly inland floodingModerate
West Warwickmostly inland floodingModerate
Providencemostly inland floodingLow
Johnstonmostly inland floodingLow
Coventrymostly inland floodingLow
Scituatemostly inland floodingLow
Warwickmostly inland floodingLow
East Providencemostly 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. Cranston covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cranston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cranston. 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 Cranston total about $18.5M 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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