Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, RI natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1980. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Richmond?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Hurricanes12%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Richmond 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 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Richmond flood?

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

27paid claims since 1980

$883Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

March 2010 Nor'easter: 19 claims, $866K
Not a named storm: 2 claims, $5K

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. Richmond isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Richmond

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $65K aid approved $25K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $29K aid approved

2022

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$48K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$49K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

2 households applied for aid $50K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$64K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

115 households applied for aid $243K aid approved $442K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$20K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

2003

Snow

$12K to the Town of Richmond for repairs

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

Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hopkintonmostly inland floodingModerate

Charlestownmostly inland floodingLow

Richmondmostly inland floodingLow

South Kingstownmostly inland floodingLow

Exetermostly 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. Richmond covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Richmond. 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 Richmond total about $2.1M 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.