Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Worcester County, MA

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
25027
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: No county-level plan row in FEMA data.

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($89,579,402 a year), Hurricane ($37,202,237) and Cold Wave ($9,910,253).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

No county-level plan row in FEMA data

What changed since your last plan

Not available. No county-level plan row in FEMA data, so there is no approval date to count from.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county: 63 rows, in the section "Plan clock: Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county" on the following pages.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Plan clock

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryUpdate underwayNotes
Devens CDPUnincorporatedExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956FEMA tracker shows a plan awaiting revisions
Fitchburg cityCityExpired on 2026-02-09City of Fitchburg 2020 Hazard Mitigation Plan - Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan (FEMA plan 106823)2021-02-102026-02-09-233
Gardner cityCityExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956FEMA tracker shows a plan in review
Leominster cityCityApproved, expires 2028-03-14City of Leominster Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 108613)2023-03-152028-03-14531
Southbridge Town cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-15Southbridge Hazard Mitigation Plan Update October 2024 (FEMA plan 110195)2025-04-162030-04-151,293
Worcester cityCityApproved, expires 2030-10-14City of Worcester, MA Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2025 (FEMA plan 111014)2025-10-152030-10-141,475
Ashburnham townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-23Town of Ashburnham, MA, Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) and Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plan (FEMA plan 107644)2022-08-242027-08-23327
Athol townTownApproved, expires 2026-12-09Town of Athol, MA Community Resilience Building: Integrated MVP HMP Report (FEMA plan 106617)2021-12-102026-12-0970
Auburn townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-152024 Hazard Mitigation Plan, Auburn, Massachusetts (FEMA plan 110256)2025-04-162030-04-151,293
Barre townTownExpired on 2024-04-07Barre Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105652)2019-04-082024-04-07-906
Berlin townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31Berlin Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 111127)2026-04-012031-03-311,643
Blackstone townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31Blackstone Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110955)2026-04-012031-03-311,643
Bolton townTownApproved, expires 2031-05-13Bolton, MA 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2025 (FEMA plan 110479)2026-05-142031-05-131,686
Boylston townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31Boylston Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 111098)2026-04-012031-03-311,643
Brookfield townTownExpired on 2023-08-16Brookfield Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105119)2018-08-172023-08-16-1,141
Charlton townTownExpired on 2024-11-26Charlton Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 106032)2019-11-272024-11-26-673
Clinton townTownApproved, expires 2028-02-05Clinton, Massachusetts Hazard Mitigation Plan 2022 (FEMA plan 108722)2023-02-062028-02-05493this jurisdiction approved 2023-02-02
Douglas townTownApproved, expires 2031-04-14Hazard Mitigation Plan Douglas, Massachusetts 2025 (FEMA plan 111341)2026-04-152031-04-141,657
Dudley townTownApproved, expires 2030-09-16Town of Dudley, MA Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 110791)2025-09-172030-09-161,447
East Brookfield townTownExpired on 2024-07-10East Brookfield Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105741)2019-07-112024-07-10-812
Grafton townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-192022 Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Town of Grafton, Massachusetts (FEMA plan 108526)2023-01-202028-01-19476
Hardwick townTownApproved, expires 2029-09-16Town of Hardwick, MA Hazard Mitigation Plan Update April 2024 (FEMA plan 109892)2024-09-172029-09-161,082
Harvard townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-19Town of Harvard, MA Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 108571)2023-01-202028-01-19476
Holden townTownApproved, expires 2031-01-29Holden Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025 Update (FEMA plan 111236)2026-01-302031-01-291,582
Hopedale townTownApproved, expires 2028-03-29Hopedale Hazard Mitigation Plan 2023 Update (FEMA plan 108827)2023-03-302028-03-29546
Hubbardston townTownExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956
Lancaster townTownExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956FEMA tracker shows a plan awaiting revisions
Leicester townTownApproved, expires 2031-08-232025 Leicester Hazard Mitigation & Resiliency Plan (FEMA plan 111035)2026-08-242031-08-231,788
Lunenburg townTownExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956
Mendon townTownExpired on 2022-02-15Mendon Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 102802)2017-02-162022-02-15-1,688
Milford townTownExpired on 2023-09-03Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Town of Milford, Massachusetts (FEMA plan 105039)2018-09-042023-09-03-1,123
Millbury townTownApproved, expires 2031-07-19Millbury Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025 Update (FEMA plan 111576)2026-07-202031-07-191,753
Millville townTownApproved, expires 2027-12-08Town of Millville 2022 Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) & Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plan (FEMA plan 108333)2022-12-092027-12-08434
New Braintree townTownExpired on 2024-04-11New Braintree Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105663)2019-04-122024-04-11-902
North Brookfield townTownExpired on 2024-09-04North Brookfield Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105883)2019-09-052024-09-04-756
Northborough townTownApproved, expires 2030-08-06Northborough Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 110386)2025-08-072030-08-061,406
Northbridge townTownExpired on 2023-12-10Northbridge Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105371)2018-12-112023-12-10-1,025
Oakham townTownExpired on 2024-04-11Oakham Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105662)2019-04-122024-04-11-902FEMA tracker shows a plan awaiting revisions
Oxford townTownApproved, expires 2029-11-192022 Oxford Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) & Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plan (FEMA plan 109844)2024-11-202029-11-191,146
Paxton townTownApproved, expires 2031-07-12Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025, Town of Paxton (FEMA plan 111620)2026-07-132031-07-121,746
Petersham townTownExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956
Phillipston townTownExpired on 2021-05-23Montachusett Region Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 Update (FEMA plan 101692)2016-05-242021-05-23-1,956
Princeton townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31Princeton Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025 Update (FEMA plan 111518)2026-04-012031-03-311,643
Royalston townTownExpired on 2025-10-08Town of Royalston Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 106777)2020-10-092025-10-08-357
Rutland townTownExpired on 2024-01-28Rutland Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105350)2019-01-292024-01-28-976
Shrewsbury townTownApproved, expires 2031-08-26Town of Shrewsbury, MA Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 111983)2026-08-272031-08-261,791
Southborough townTownExpired on 2026-06-22Local Hazard Mitigation & Climate Adaptation Plan 2021 Update Town of Southborough, MA (FEMA plan 107491)2021-06-232026-06-22-100
Spencer townTownApproved, expires 2031-09-16Spencer Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 111765)2026-09-172031-09-161,812
Sterling townTownExpired on 2026-08-04Local Hazard Mitigation & Climate Adaptation Plan 2021 Update Town of Sterling, MA (FEMA plan 107590)2021-08-052026-08-04-57
Sturbridge townTownExpired on 2024-10-08Sturbridge Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105867)2019-10-092024-10-08-722
Sutton townTownExpired on 2021-12-20Sutton Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 102629)2016-12-202021-12-20-1,745
Templeton townTownApproved, expires 2031-08-30Town of Templeton Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 111735)2026-08-312031-08-301,795
Upton townTownExpired on 2024-03-20Upton Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 105419)2019-03-212024-03-20-924
Uxbridge townTownExpired on 2024-05-16Uxbridge Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105647)2019-05-172024-05-16-867
Warren townTownExpired on 2024-08-05Warren Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 105819)2019-08-062024-08-05-786
Webster townTownApproved, expires 2030-09-15Town of Webster, MA Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 110665)2025-09-162030-09-151,446
West Boylston townTownExpired on 2023-03-04West Boylston Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (FEMA plan 104840)2018-03-052023-03-04-1,306
West Brookfield townTownExpired on 2022-02-08West Brookfield Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 102717)2017-02-092022-02-08-1,695
Westborough townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31Westborough Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 111083)2026-04-012031-03-311,643
Westminster townTownApproved, expires 2030-01-09Westminster, Massachusetts Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan (FEMA plan 108882)2025-01-102030-01-091,197
Winchendon townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-28Town of Winchendon Hazard Mitigation and Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan (FEMA plan 108061)2022-08-292027-08-28332
Name not given in FEMA data (ID NM01_12387)College/UniversityExpired on 2021-05-12University of Massachusetts Multi-Campus Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 12383)2016-05-122021-05-12-1,967
University Medical CampusCollege/UniversityExpired on 2021-02-09University of Massachusetts Medical School Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (FEMA plan 101666)2016-02-092021-02-09-2,059

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively HighRelatively High$89,086,338$122,264$370,800$89,579,402205
2HurricaneRelatively HighRelatively High$35,229,121$445,175$1,527,941$37,202,2374
3Cold WaveRelatively HighRelatively High$5,331$23,549$9,881,373$9,910,2538Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
4EarthquakeRelatively LowRelatively Moderate$4,702,434n/a$869,777$5,572,212Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
5TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$4,220,023$1,443$837,080$5,058,54620
6Strong WindRelatively HighRelatively High$977,262$944$3,393,782$4,371,988749Includes 57 High Wind and 121 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
7Ice StormVery HighVery High$3,705,177n/a$131,846$3,837,0235
8Heat WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$4$8,812$3,486,691$3,495,50711
9LightningRelatively HighRelatively High$157,993n/a$1,652,451$1,810,44575
10HailRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$48,385$2,688$873,837$924,910224
11DroughtRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderaten/a$703,636n/a$703,63614
12Winter WeatherRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$88,821$15$33,186$122,023192
13WildfireVery LowRelatively Low$99,475$21$16,973$116,4691
14LandslideRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$101,272n/a$7,563$108,8350No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
Coastal FloodingNot ApplicableNot Applicable0Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide records (Storm Events records this hazard only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Coastal Floodingno tract has a National Risk Index rating for this hazard
Earthquaketract 7442.02 (Relatively Moderate, 80.0); tract 7612 (Relatively Moderate, 80.0); tract 7306 (Relatively Low, 71.0)
Hurricanetract 7612 (Relatively High, 93.7); tract 7442.02 (Relatively High, 90.8); tract 7320.02 (Relatively Moderate, 89.1)
Landslidetract 7261 (Relatively Moderate, 96.3); tract 7191 (Relatively Moderate, 96.0); tract 7081 (Relatively Moderate, 95.9)
Tornadotract 7612 (Relatively Moderate, 54.2); tract 7306 (Relatively Low, 51.7); tract 7351 (Relatively Low, 49.3)
Wildfiretract 7151 (Relatively Low, 82.2); tract 7191 (Relatively Low, 79.7); tract 7614.01 (Relatively Low, 79.2)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 7442.02 is Census Tract 7442.02). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Coastal Flood, Storm Surge/Tidenone in data (flood depth: FIRM)0Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill7 records, 2000 to 2019 (7 zone-level)1 day to 2 days (median 1 day); 7 with a recorded value2 consecutive days, 2018-01-06 to 2018-01-07, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage1 record, 2007 (1 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)14 records, 1999 to 2017 (14 zone-level)1 day to 274 days (median 34 days); 3 with a recorded value274 days (about 9.0 months), 2016-07-05 to 2017-04-04, a run of 11 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)256 records, 1956 to 2025 (1 zone-level)0.75 in to 2 in (median 0.88 in); 255 with a recorded value2 in hail, 2011-06-01; same size also recorded on 1957-07-05, 1960-06-30, 2009-05-24, 2011-06-01Hail, 2009-05-24, $40,000 property; $0 crops (2009 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Gardner city (14 records), Worcester city (10 records), Athol town (9 records), Ashburnham town (8 records), Milford town (8 records), Auburn town (7 records), Leicester town (7 records), Grafton town (6 records), Sterling town (6 records), Westborough town (6 records); and 45 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file). Zone-level records (1) apply countywide.
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)11 records, 1996 to 2010 (11 zone-level)1 day to 2 days (median 1.5 days); 4 with a recorded value2 consecutive days, 2001-05-02 to 2001-05-03, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Heat records from November to March (unseasonable warmth, not a heat wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson4 records, 2011 to 2021 (4 zone-level)Strongest recorded: Tropical Storm record, 2011-08-28, $800,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone MAZ004Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 1998 to 2008 (5 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2008-12-11, $20,000,000 property; $0 crops (2008 dollars); NWS zone MAZ004Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)205 records, 1996 to 2025 (8 zone-level)Flood, 2010-03-29, $4,050,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Worcester city (13 records), Fitchburg city (10 records), Leominster city (9 records), Oxford town (7 records), Blackstone town (4 records), Shrewsbury town (4 records), Gardner city (3 records), Milford town (3 records), Millbury town (3 records), Northborough town (3 records); and 25 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file). Zone-level records (8) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)75 records, 1996 to 2025Lightning, 2023-06-02, $800,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Spencer town (5 records), Worcester city (5 records), Barre town (3 records), Leominster city (3 records), Sutton town (3 records), Athol town (2 records), Douglas town (2 records), Gardner city (2 records), Millville town (2 records), Webster town (2 records); and 25 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)178 records, 1996 to 2025 (178 zone-level)29 kt (33 mph) to 65 kt (75 mph) (median 44 kt (51 mph)); 139 with a recorded value65 kt (75 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2006-02-17; NWS zone MAZ012High Wind, 2006-02-17, $100,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2006 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)671 records, 1956 to 202640 kt (46 mph) to 110 kt (127 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 601 with a recorded value110 kt (127 mph), measurement type not recorded, Thunderstorm Wind, 1989-06-02, 1 direct death, 2 direct injuriesThunderstorm Wind, 1998-05-31, $10,000,000 property; crops not reported (1998 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Worcester city (33 records), Athol town (21 records), Fitchburg city (17 records), Westborough town (16 records), Hardwick town (15 records), Spencer town (14 records), Webster town (14 records), West Brookfield town (14 records), Templeton town (13 records), Leominster city (12 records); and 48 more jurisdictions (see the Excel file).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)52 records, 1953 to 2025F/EF0 to F/EF4 (median F/EF1); 52 with a recorded valueF4 tornado, 1953-06-09, 34.9 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 900 yd wide, $250,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1953 dollars), 90 direct deaths, 1228 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Paxton town (2 records), Webster town (2 records), Charlton town (1 record), Clinton town (1 record), Hardwick town (1 record), Holden town (1 record), Hubbardston town (1 record), New Braintree town (1 record), North Brookfield town (1 record), Princeton town (1 record); and 1 more jurisdiction (see the Excel file).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)1 record, 2012 (1 zone-level)No damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)192 records, 1996 to 2026 (192 zone-level)Heavy Snow, 1996-12-07, $1,360,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars); NWS zone MAZ004Countywide (zone-level records).

Where a hazard names more than 10 jurisdictions, the table lists the 10 with the most records; every one is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-c Extent".

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 32 declarations covering 26 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

No county-level plan row in FEMA data, so there is no approval date to count from.

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2024-05-152023-09-11DR-4780-MAMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this countywithin last 5 years
2023-09-152023-09-15EM-3599-MAEmergencyHurricane LeeHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedwithin last 5 years
2020-03-272020-01-20DR-4496-MAMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$64,655,343.66
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3438-MAEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4496
2018-07-192018-03-13DR-4379-MAMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm and SnowstormWinter Weather$2,567,829.68
2015-04-132015-01-26DR-4214-MAMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingInland Flooding; Winter Weather$4,963,561.49
2013-04-192013-02-08DR-4110-MAMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and FloodingInland Flooding; Winter Weather$3,804,079.75
2012-10-282012-10-27EM-3350-MAEmergencyHurricane SandyHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2012-01-062011-10-29DR-4051-MAMajor disasterSevere Storm and SnowstormWinter Weather$6,783,221.51
2011-11-012011-10-29EM-3343-MAEmergencySevere StormHazard not mapped (severe storm title names no single hazard); not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4051
2011-08-262011-08-26EM-3330-MAEmergencyHurricane IreneHurricane$780,187
2011-06-152011-06-01DR-1994-MAMajor disasterSevere Storms and TornadoesTornado$311,152.76FEMA's declaration record does not list Public Assistance, but FEMA's PA project summaries show obligations for this county
2010-09-022010-09-01EM-3315-MAEmergencyHurricane EarlHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2010-03-292010-03-12DR-1895-MAMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$1,335,376.64
2009-01-052008-12-11DR-1813-MAMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm and FloodingIce Storm$27,543,062.13
2008-12-132008-12-11EM-3296-MAEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-1813
2005-11-102005-10-07DR-1614-MAMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$1,207,206.57
2005-09-132005-08-29EM-3252-MAEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2005-02-172005-01-22EM-3201-MAEmergencyRecord and/or Near Record SnowWinter Weather$3,171,408.37
2004-04-212004-04-01DR-1512-MAMajor disasterFloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
2004-01-152003-12-06EM-3191-MAEmergencySnowWinter Weather$2,420,730.68
2003-03-112003-02-17EM-3175-MAEmergencySnowWinter Weather$2,022,287.55
2001-04-102001-03-05DR-1364-MAMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
2001-03-282001-03-05EM-3165-MAEmergencySnowWinter Weather$2,213,548.81
1999-12-061999-12-03EM-3153-MAEmergencyWarehouse Fire.Non-natural, not counted$1,849,613.68
1998-06-231998-06-13DR-1224-MAMajor disasterHeavy Rains and FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
1996-01-241996-01-07DR-1090-MAMajor disasterBlizzard of 96Winter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1993-03-161993-03-13EM-3103-MAEmergencyBlizzards, High Winds & Record SnowfallWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1992-12-211992-12-11DR-975-MAMajor disasterWinter Coastal StormCoastal Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1991-08-261991-08-19DR-914-MAMajor disasterHurricane BobHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
1987-04-181987-03-30DR-790-MAMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1985-10-281985-09-27DR-751-MAMajor disasterHurricane GloriaHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1955-08-201955-08-20DR-43-MAMajor disasterHurricane & FloodsHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding
1954-09-021954-09-02DR-22-MAMajor disasterHurricanesHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding
1953-06-111953-06-11DR-7-MAMajor disasterTornadoTornado

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

1 Fire Management declaration (1995-09-12 to 1995-09-12) FEMA filed as Statewide with no county; each names one local fire. Listed on the state page.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 4 rows, $93,789.22

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-1959-MA2011-03-07Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormUNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS (2)$81,562.22
DR-1959-MA2011-03-07Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormNew England Center for Children, Inc.$4,633.80
DR-1959-MA2011-03-07Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormNashoba Regional School District - Worcester$3,280.70
DR-1701-MA2007-05-16Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal FloodingMassachusetts Department of Corrections$4,312.50

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Coastal Flooding0011996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Cold Wave8001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record.
Drought14001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail2561001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave11001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane4061996 to 2026-06-30
Ice Storm5011996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding2054091996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning75801996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind84912101955 to 2026-06-30Includes 57 High Wind and 121 Strong Wind records.
Tornado52511950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire1001996 to 2026-06-30
Winter Weather19221111996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2023-06-02Lightning$800,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)0, 0SPENCERwithin last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2018-01-06Extreme Cold/Wind Chill$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2018 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MAZ012 (SOUTHERN WORCESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
2011-08-28Tropical Storm$800,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MAZ004 (NORTHERN WORCESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression
2011-06-01Hail2 in$0 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars)0, 0STURBRIDGEB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2010-03-29Flood$4,050,000 property; $0 crops (2010 dollars)0, 0SOUTHBRIDGE to WHITINSVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2008-12-11Ice Storm$20,000,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2008 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MAZ004 (NORTHERN WORCESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Ice Storm
2006-02-17High Wind65 kt (75 mph) measured gust$40,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2006 dollars)0, 0NWS zone MAZ012 (SOUTHERN WORCESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2001-05-02Excessive Heatdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone MAZ012 (SOUTHERN WORCESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
1998-05-31Thunderstorm Wind61 kt (70 mph), measurement type not recorded$15,000 property; crops not reported (1998 dollars)2, 0WINCHENDON to TEMPLETONdeaths or injuries recorded
1989-06-02Thunderstorm Wind110 kt (127 mph), measurement type not recordeddamage not recorded (pre-1996 record)1, 2location not recordedB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
1979-08-10TornadoF2, 9.7 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 30 yd wide$2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1979 dollars)2, 2location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded
1953-06-09TornadoF4, 34.9 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 900 yd wide$250,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1953 dollars)90, 1228location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (1,672 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Coastal Floodingevents per year at a location (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNot Applicable in NRI for this county; no descriptor.
Cold Wave3.36event-days per yearabout 3.36 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)63.92005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought4.28event-days per yearabout 4.28 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)2172000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.0015annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.15%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail2.6events per yearabout 2.6 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)98.9 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave4.36event-days per yearabout 4.36 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)75.12005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.135events per yearabout 1 in 7 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)581851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm2.99event-days per yearabout 2.99 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)2011946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding3.75event-days per yearabout 3.75 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 28 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (93.3%)1051996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide1.61events per year (modeled)about 1.61 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning22.5days per year with a strikeabout 22.5 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind1.26events per yearabout 1.26 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)491986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.378events per yearabout 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.000129annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.0129%PossibleStorm Events records in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Winter Weather19.3event-days per yearabout 19.3 days per yearHighly likelyStorm Events event-days in 30 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (100%)3672005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202591303.03
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20253300.1
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 20255293017.6
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 202510300.333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202517300.567
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202519300.633
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20251300.0333
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Coastal Flooding0 of 191Not Applicable 191
Cold Wave191 of 19125.346.272.6Relatively Moderate 90, Relatively Low 101
Drought50 of 19170.682.896.5Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 34, Very Low 13, No Rating 141
Earthquake191 of 19113.942.680.0Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 98, Very Low 91
Hail191 of 19123.240.760.0Relatively Low 128, Very Low 63
Heat Wave191 of 1914.621.857.8Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 128, Very Low 61
Hurricane191 of 19157.081.393.7Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 136, Relatively Low 53
Ice Storm191 of 19123.680.395.7Relatively High 8, Relatively Moderate 151, Relatively Low 31, Very Low 1
Inland Flooding191 of 1910.427.194.5Relatively High 7, Relatively Moderate 34, Relatively Low 93, Very Low 57
Landslide191 of 19117.681.296.3Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 93, Very Low 94
Lightning191 of 19115.339.270.5Relatively Moderate 42, Relatively Low 143, Very Low 6
Strong Wind191 of 19124.154.383.5Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 94, Relatively Low 96
Tornado191 of 1918.032.754.2Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 128, Very Low 62
Wildfire169 of 19118.747.282.2Relatively Low 18, Very Low 151, No Rating 22
Winter Weather191 of 19117.924.643.6Relatively Low 188, Very Low 3

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Devens CDPUnincorporatedExpired on 2021-05-23no Public Assistance recorded0 total; 0 since its planNo NFIP community ID on this jurisdiction's plan row.
Fitchburg cityCityExpired on 2026-02-09FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 4$3,400,887.4130 total; 3 since its planIncludes $258,365.89 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Gardner cityCityExpired on 2021-05-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,185,490.0625 total; 3 since its planIncludes $336,679.84 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Leominster cityCityApproved, expires 2028-03-14FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 6$4,586,623.3226 total; 6 since its planIncludes $362,494.41 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Southbridge Town cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1no Public Assistance recorded0 total; 0 since its plan
Worcester cityCityApproved, expires 2030-10-14FMA RL 0, SRL 4; any 26$12,525,323.8961 total; 0 since its planIncludes $5,384,889.62 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA, EM-3153-MA).
Ashburnham townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$436,548.1118 total; 0 since its planIncludes $124,553.61 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Athol townTownApproved, expires 2026-12-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$643,076.6632 total; 5 since its planIncludes $232,343.27 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Auburn townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$812,773.3716 total; 1 since its planIncludes $80,975.81 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Barre townTownExpired on 2024-04-07FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$771,400.7518 total; 1 since its planIncludes $38,064.42 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Berlin townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$264,605.144 total; 0 since its planIncludes $8,572.27 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Blackstone townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$376,072.027 total; 0 since its planIncludes $34,232.46 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Bolton townTownApproved, expires 2031-05-13FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$543,638.817 total; 0 since its planIncludes $86,755.28 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Boylston townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$515,897.940 total; 0 since its planIncludes $21,614.44 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Brookfield townTownExpired on 2023-08-16FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 3$315,082.216 total; 0 since its planIncludes $36,741.80 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Charlton townTownExpired on 2024-11-26FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$812,792.6916 total; 1 since its planIncludes $194,697.66 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Clinton townTownApproved, expires 2028-02-05FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 3$696,995.4112 total; 0 since its plan
Douglas townTownApproved, expires 2031-04-14FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$570,062.417 total; 0 since its planIncludes $168,377.81 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Dudley townTownApproved, expires 2030-09-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$533,504.3413 total; 0 since its planIncludes $162,934.36 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
East Brookfield townTownExpired on 2024-07-10FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$52,364.834 total; 0 since its plan
Grafton townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-19FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$596,836.3914 total; 0 since its planIncludes $132,208.01 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Hardwick townTownApproved, expires 2029-09-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$240,213.9420 total; 0 since its planIncludes $15,900.58 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Harvard townTownApproved, expires 2028-01-19FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,024,915.3614 total; 0 since its planIncludes $97,722.24 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Holden townTownApproved, expires 2031-01-29FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$2,728,184.0614 total; 0 since its plan
Hopedale townTownApproved, expires 2028-03-29FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$257,649.206 total; 0 since its planIncludes $39,054.78 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Hubbardston townTownExpired on 2021-05-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,019,672.7114 total; 9 since its planIncludes $141,387.82 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Lancaster townTownExpired on 2021-05-23FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 5$549,481.318 total; 4 since its plan
Leicester townTownApproved, expires 2031-08-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 3$700,821.4514 total; not yet coveredIncludes $161,293.70 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Lunenburg townTownExpired on 2021-05-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,665,753.5517 total; 6 since its planIncludes $68,724.98 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Mendon townTownExpired on 2022-02-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$174,401.616 total; 4 since its planIncludes $18,699.60 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Milford townTownExpired on 2023-09-03FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$1,267,451.6218 total; 3 since its planIncludes $277,329.30 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Millbury townTownApproved, expires 2031-07-19FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$552,659.5810 total; not yet coveredIncludes $81,065.13 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Millville townTownApproved, expires 2027-12-08FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$276,120.678 total; 0 since its planIncludes $5,190.60 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
New Braintree townTownExpired on 2024-04-11FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$212,715.5813 total; 4 since its plan
North Brookfield townTownExpired on 2024-09-04FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$291,109.896 total; 3 since its planIncludes $6,018.08 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Northborough townTownApproved, expires 2030-08-06FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$817,936.9920 total; 1 since its planIncludes $69,956.47 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Northbridge townTownExpired on 2023-12-10FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 2$565,836.8210 total; 3 since its planIncludes $171,716.53 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Oakham townTownExpired on 2024-04-11FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$420,069.369 total; 5 since its planIncludes $18,960 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Oxford townTownApproved, expires 2029-11-19FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$954,067.4621 total; 1 since its planIncludes $162,575.52 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Paxton townTownApproved, expires 2031-07-12FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,784,917.505 total; not yet coveredIncludes $49,664.61 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Petersham townTownExpired on 2021-05-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$175,109.758 total; 2 since its plan
Phillipston townTownExpired on 2021-05-23FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$268,699.547 total; 2 since its plan
Princeton townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$3,071,023.0511 total; 0 since its plan
Royalston townTownExpired on 2025-10-08FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$442,322.064 total; 1 since its plan
Rutland townTownExpired on 2024-01-28FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$944,752.7615 total; 6 since its planIncludes $471,864.68 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Shrewsbury townTownApproved, expires 2031-08-26FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$2,860,001.4521 total; not yet coveredIncludes $916,813.56 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Southborough townTownExpired on 2026-06-22FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$887,975.284 total; 0 since its planIncludes $688,625.14 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Spencer townTownApproved, expires 2031-09-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$930,563.3926 total; not yet coveredIncludes $94,902.92 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Sterling townTownExpired on 2026-08-04FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$1,090,990.0413 total; 1 since its plan
Sturbridge townTownExpired on 2024-10-08FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 2$2,063,664.758 total; 2 since its planIncludes $297,295.31 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Sutton townTownExpired on 2021-12-20FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$449,935.889 total; 1 since its planIncludes $90,828.11 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Templeton townTownApproved, expires 2031-08-30FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$896,94916 total; not yet coveredIncludes $13,782.42 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Upton townTownExpired on 2024-03-20FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$479,593.884 total; 1 since its planIncludes $61,002.74 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Uxbridge townTownExpired on 2024-05-16FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$908,828.465 total; 1 since its planIncludes $321,972.27 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Warren townTownExpired on 2024-08-05FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$625,202.0417 total; 5 since its plan
Webster townTownApproved, expires 2030-09-15FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$368,912.1822 total; 0 since its planIncludes $41,563.57 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
West Boylston townTownExpired on 2023-03-04FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$640,358.466 total; 3 since its planIncludes $28,018.83 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
West Brookfield townTownExpired on 2022-02-08FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$161,239.5824 total; 11 since its planIncludes $5,984.89 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Westborough townTownApproved, expires 2031-03-31FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$713,483.1026 total; 0 since its planIncludes $141,684.90 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Westminster townTownApproved, expires 2030-01-09FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$1,683,471.8810 total; 0 since its planIncludes $14,510.52 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).
Winchendon townTownApproved, expires 2027-08-28FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$641,992.5614 total; 2 since its planIncludes $308,305.02 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4496-MA).

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

School districts and special districts get a plan clock row only.

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

No county-level plan row in FEMA data, so there is no approval date to count from.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since plancounty-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Coastal FloodingNot Applicable in NRI for this county
Cold Wave$158,528,347,268$83,946,205861,565$5,331$23,549$9,881,373under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$48,204,888n/an/a$703,636n/a1.46% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$277,593,218,496n/a862,111$4,702,434n/a$869,7770.00169%
Hail$158,528,440,011$83,946,205861,566$48,385$2,688$873,837under 0.0001%
Heat Wave$158,528,347,268$83,946,205861,565$4$8,812$3,486,691under 0.0001%
Hurricane$158,507,353,868$83,946,205861,436$35,229,121$445,175$1,527,9410.0222%
Ice Storm$158,520,914,403n/a861,498$3,705,177n/a$131,8460.00234%
Inland Flooding$158,161,056,760$9,203,32612,609$89,086,338$122,264$370,800n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$5,795,062,235n/a34,633$101,272n/a$7,5630.00175%
Lightning$158,528,440,011n/a861,566$157,993n/a$1,652,451under 0.0001%
Strong Wind$158,528,440,011$83,946,205861,566$977,262$944$3,393,7820.000616%
Tornado$158,528,440,011$83,946,205861,566$4,220,023$1,443$837,0800.00266%
Wildfire$10,116,832,243$15,148,69986,649$99,475$21$16,9730.000983%
Winter Weather$158,528,347,268$83,946,205861,565$88,821$15$33,186under 0.0001%

Totals since the plan: not available. No county-level plan row in FEMA data, so there is no approval date to count from.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population861,566
Building value (total, not at risk)$158,528,440,011
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$83,946,205
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Moderate
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$139,730,184
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$23,083,301
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively Low
Community resilience ratingVery High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)7
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition61Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition5

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county total and NFIP communities

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total0761563219
of which: Auburn town0010100
of which: Brookfield town0131300
of which: Clinton town0030300
of which: Fitchburg city0130412
of which: Grafton town0010101
of which: Lancaster town0151501
of which: Leicester town0030300
of which: Leominster city0060602
of which: Milford town0010101
of which: Millbury town0010100
of which: Northbridge town0020200
of which: Southbridge town0010100
of which: Sturbridge town0020200
of which: Sutton town0010100
of which: Uxbridge town0010100
of which: West Boylston town0010101
of which: Westminster town0010101
of which: Worcester city0425326110

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Fitchburg city2503040130412
Gardner city2503050000000
Leominster city2503140060602
Southbridge Town city2503340010100
Worcester city2503490425326110
Ashburnham town2502900000000
Athol town2502910000000
Auburn town2502920010100
Barre town2502930000000
Berlin town2502940000000
Blackstone town2502950000000
Bolton town2502960000000
Boylston town2502970000000
Brookfield town2502980131300
Charlton town2502990000000
Clinton town2503000030300
Douglas town2503010000000
Dudley town2503020000000
East Brookfield town2503030000000
Grafton town2503060010101
Hardwick town2503070000000
Harvard town2503080000000
Holden town2503090000000
Hopedale town2503100000000
Hubbardston town2503110000000
Lancaster town2503120151501
Leicester town2503130030300
Lunenburg town2503150000000
Mendon town2503160000000
Milford town2503170010101
Millbury town2503180010100
Millville town2503190000000
New Braintree town2503200000000
North Brookfield town2503230000000
Northborough town2503210000000
Northbridge town2503220020200
Oakham town2503240000000
Oxford town2503250000000
Paxton town2503260000000
Petersham town2503270000000
Phillipston town2503280000000
Princeton town2503290000000
Royalston town2503300000000
Rutland town2503310000000
Shrewsbury town2503320000000
Southborough town2503330000000
Spencer town2503350000000
Sterling town2503360000000
Sturbridge town2503370020200
Sutton town2503380010100
Templeton town2503390000000
Upton town2503400000000
Uxbridge town2503410010100
Warren town2503420000000
Webster town2503430000000
West Boylston town2503450010101
West Brookfield town2503460000000
Westborough town2503440000000
Westminster town2503470010101
Winchendon town2503480000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential0232232010
2 to 4 unit residential001101105
other residential0020201
non-residential051631823
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 61 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Worcester County, MA: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 25027). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/ma/25027/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: contact@hazardplain.org