Natural hazards · Johnston

Johnston, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Johnston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 94 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Johnston?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Johnston to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Hurricanes7%Heat waves7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Johnston faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% 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

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Johnston flood?

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

94paid claims since 1979

$5.1Mpaid to owners

19homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

March 2010 Nor'easter: 20 claims, $929K
Not a named storm: 6 claims, $8K
December Nor'easter: 3 claims, $34K

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

No community discount. Johnston 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.

Disasters that hit Johnston

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JohnstonDeclared for Providence County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

239 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

125 households applied for aid $501K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

103 households applied for aid $414K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$94K to the Town of Johnston for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$105K to the Town of Johnston for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$112K to the Town of Johnston for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$311K to the Town of Johnston for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

990 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved $1.1M to the Town of Johnston for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$93K to the Town of Johnston for repairs

2003

Snow

$62K to the Town of Johnston for repairs

Providence County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Johnston

Johnston and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

North Providencemostly inland floodingModerate

Cranstonmostly inland floodingModerate

Providencemostly inland floodingLow

Johnstonmostly inland floodingLow

Smithfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Scituatemostly 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. Johnston covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Johnston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Johnston. 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 Johnston total about $5.9M 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.