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Natural hazards · Lincoln

Lincoln, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lincoln comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 50 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 Lincoln?

29
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lincoln to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Hurricanes8%Heat waves5%Cold waves5%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Lincoln faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Lincoln flood?

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

50paid claims since 1979
$2.6Mpaid to owners
7homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Not a named storm: 14 claims, $161K
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 8 claims, $482K
  • December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $52K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Lincoln 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 Lincoln

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LincolnDeclared for Providence County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

86 households applied for aid $358K aid approved
2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

53 households applied for aid $194K aid approved
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

68 households applied for aid $333K aid approved
2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$71K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$101K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$80K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$123K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

307 households applied for aid $406K aid approved $506K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$73K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
2003

Snow

$45K to the Town of Lincoln for repairs
Providence County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.
Around Lincoln

Lincoln and the towns around it

North Smithfield: Low, mostly inland floodingCumberland: Low, mostly inland floodingSmithfield: Low, mostly inland floodingCentral Falls: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Providence: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWoonsocket: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBurrillville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWrentham: Very low, mostly inland floodingPlainville: Very low, mostly inland floodingNorth Attleborough Town: Low, mostly inland floodingAttleboro: Low, mostly inland floodingJohnston: Low, mostly inland floodingGlocester: Very low, mostly inland floodingPawtucket: Low, mostly inland floodingProvidence: Low, mostly inland floodingLincoln: Low, mostly inland flooding LincolnNorth SmithfieldCumberlandSmithfieldCentral FallsNorth Providence
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
North Providencemostly inland floodingModerate
Central Fallsmostly inland floodingModerate
North Smithfieldmostly inland floodingLow
Cumberlandmostly inland floodingLow
Lincolnmostly inland floodingLow
Smithfieldmostly 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. Lincoln covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lincoln’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Lincoln. 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 Lincoln total about $5.6M 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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