Natural Disasters in Boston, MA

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

93.5

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

91.9

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

70.6

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

95.5

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Lightning97.8Heat Wave97.5Earthquake95.0

Hazard	Risk Score
Lightning	97.8
Heat Wave	97.5
Earthquake	95.0
Cold Wave	94.2
Hurricane	93.7
Coastal Flood	92.2
Ice Storm	79.9
Hail	76.9
Tornado	75.3
Strong Wind	52.0
Winter Weather	44.1
Landslide	36.2
Wildfire	9.0

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Hurricane

Sep 2023

Most Common Type

Snowstorm

9 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Sep 15, 2023	Hurricane	HURRICANE LEE
Apr 18, 2022	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Mar 27, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Jul 19, 2018	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Apr 13, 2015	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING
Apr 19, 2013	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING
Apr 17, 2013	Terrorist	EXPLOSIONS
Dec 19, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Oct 28, 2012	Hurricane	HURRICANE SANDY
Aug 26, 2011	Hurricane	HURRICANE IRENE
Mar 7, 2011	Snowstorm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND SNOWSTORM
Sep 2, 2010	Hurricane	HURRICANE EARL
May 3, 2010	Other	WATER MAIN BREAK
Mar 29, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Dec 13, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
May 25, 2006	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Nov 10, 2005	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING
Sep 13, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION
Feb 17, 2005	Snowstorm	RECORD AND/OR NEAR RECORD SNOW

Showing 20 of 38 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

14,032

Total IA Distributed

$34,670,356

Repair/Replace

$14,127,160

Rental Assistance

$1,468,459

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1994	2	N/A	—
DR-4496	2,966	$17,998,454	—
DR-1895	7,899	$10,772,975	$1,502
DR-1642	2,553	$4,942,140	$2,811
DR-1512	553	$829,022	$1,910
DR-1614	54	$109,465	$2,245
DR-4528	1	$9,000	—
DR-4480	1	$9,000	—
DR-4339	3	$300	—

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

4,365

Total Claims Paid

$28,944,609

Avg Claim Payout

$6,631

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$601,315,626

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

1,139

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4496	Biological	405	$489,278,899
DR-4214	Severe Storm(s)	138	$25,562,138
DR-3201	Snow	86	$15,999,093
DR-4379	Winter Storm	27	$12,192,682
DR-3175	Snow	60	$9,932,983
DR-4651	Winter Storm	13	$9,862,631
DR-1959	Snow	67	$9,430,941
DR-1813	Severe Ice Storm	65	$8,669,247
DR-1895	Severe Storm(s)	95	$4,462,110
DR-4110	Severe Storm(s)	38	$3,861,484
DR-4097	Hurricane	19	$3,749,962
DR-3362	Terrorist Attack	18	$3,591,762
DR-4051	Severe Storm(s)	9	$1,397,271
DR-3330	Hurricane	8	$916,866
DR-1701	Severe Storm(s)	36	$880,618

Showing top 15 of 21 disasters by spending

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$11,577,796

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.55

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
403.1: Stormwater Management - Culverts	3	$2,354,981
904.2: Advance Assistance (FMA and PDMC)	3	$1,659,000
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	2	$336,063
91.4: Local Multijurisdictional Multihazard Mitigation Plan - NEW	2	$1,485,000
106.2: Other Non Construction; 700.1: Management Costs - Salaries	2	$2,300,000

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Boston has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are lightning, heat wave, earthquake. The area has had 38 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is snowstorm (9 declarations). 4,365 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $601,315,626 in public assistance recovery funding. $34,670,356 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 20 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.