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Natural hazards · Jamestown

Jamestown, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jamestown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 36 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Jamestown?

2
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jamestown to be higher than in 2% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding58%Hurricanes21%Coastal flooding5%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Jamestown faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

21% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Coastal flooding

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

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 Jamestown flood?

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

36paid claims since 1978
$295Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 12 claims, $123K
  • Hurricane Bob: 4 claims, $12K
  • Hurricane Sandy: 4 claims, $63K

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

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JamestownDeclared for Newport County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$164K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$28K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$66K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

2 households applied for aid $202K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$55K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

188 households applied for aid $222K aid approved $153K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$10K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$26K to the Town of Jamestown for repairs
Newport County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.
Around Jamestown

Jamestown and the towns around it

Newport: Very low, mostly inland floodingNorth Kingstown: Low, mostly inland floodingNarragansett: Low, mostly inland floodingPortsmouth: Very low, mostly inland floodingMiddletown: Very low, mostly inland floodingWarwick: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Greenwich: Low, mostly inland floodingExeter: Very low, mostly inland floodingSouth Kingstown: Low, mostly inland floodingBristol: Very low, mostly inland floodingTiverton: Very low, mostly inland floodingLittle Compton: Very low, mostly inland floodingBarrington: Low, mostly inland floodingJamestown: Very low, mostly inland flooding JamestownNewportNorth KingstownNarragansettPortsmouthMiddletown
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Narragansettmostly inland floodingLow
North Kingstownmostly inland floodingLow
Portsmouthmostly inland floodingVery low
Middletownmostly inland floodingVery low
Newportmostly inland floodingVery low
Jamestownmostly 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. Jamestown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jamestown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Jamestown. 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 Jamestown total about $926K 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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You’re in Jamestown, RINewport CountyView boundary

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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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