FEMA Records
22
Above median
Massachusetts · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Franklin County, MA
22 FEMA disaster declarations (1986-2023), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Severe Storm.
- 22
- FEMA declarations
- 10
- Major disasters
- 61
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Severe Storm
- Top hazard
The verdict
Franklin County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 22 declarations, more than 57% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 24% below the Massachusetts county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county in the riskiest 39%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Riskiest 39%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 22
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 114
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 25011 · Franklin County 22 declarations · rank 1339/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-BELOW
- DECL-HEAVY 22
- MAJOR-LIGHT 45%
- RANK-LOWER #1,339
- PHOTO-FINISH Hardy
- NRI-LOW 61
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Severe Storm
- VS-ST-BELOW -24%
Nearest declaration peer: Hardy, WV (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Massachusetts state profile
Franklin County in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among Franklin County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Franklin · this county 22
Franklin · this county
22 declarations
- Hardy · near 22
Hardy · near
22 declarations
- Prairie · near 22
Prairie · near
22 declarations
- St. Francis · near 22
St. Francis · near
22 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Franklin County carries 22 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1339 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How Franklin County's FEMA declaration count compares nationally
Franklin County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Franklin County
22 Top 43% higher than 57% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Franklin County's FEMA Risk Index score
Which hazard drives modeled loss here?
FEMA's modeled annual dollar loss for Franklin County is led by Riverine Flooding (about $16.0M Expected Annual Loss, Historical Loss Ratio Relatively High), while Landslide carries the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Low). EAL and risk score use different inputs; they need not agree.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025 release) - Expected Annual Loss vs composite risk rating by hazard.
What does Franklin County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 114 paid claims, totaling $3.8M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $33.2K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
Start with the state benchmark: a Massachusetts county averages 28.8 federal declaration records, while Franklin County has 22. The gap is 24% below that mean. Fewer entries indicate a quieter history of recorded federal actions, not immunity from a hazard and not a prediction about what happens next.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county carries a high composite score on FEMA's National Risk Index, 60.7/100, rated Relatively Low. Its Expected Annual Loss rating is Relatively Low (roughly $22.9M in annualized losses), and a Relatively Low social-vulnerability profile combined with Very High community resilience shapes how much of that raw exposure becomes realized harm. Even the county's top-rated hazard, Landslide, only reaches Relatively Low on FEMA's scale, none of the 18 modeled hazards stand out here. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at an average of 1.2 times per year here.
52 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Franklin County, MA · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
16/30
22 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.1x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
10/25
22 declarations (0.8x state county average of 29)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
11/25
10 of 22 declarations are major disasters (45%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Franklin County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Franklin County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
45%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
61
Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Franklin County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | an average of 1.2 times per year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | roughly once every 13 years |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.8 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.6 times per year |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | an average of 24 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | an average of 3.5 times per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | an average of 1.4 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 830 years |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 2.4 modeled event-days per year |
| Avalanche | Very Low | roughly once every 100 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | an average of 20 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 3.5 modeled event-days per year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | an average of 3 times per year |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 9,794 years |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 6 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 6
Severe Storm 6
Snowstorm 6
Biological 2
Severe Ice Storm 1
Flood 1
What Severe Storm declarations mean here
Severe Storm is the most frequent declaration type on Franklin County's record, 27% of its declarations. In FEMA's vocabulary this covers convective weather: thunderstorm straight-line winds, large hail, and the multi-day outbreaks that often carry embedded tornadoes. Activity is heaviest in spring and summer, though the season varies by region.
These events behave differently from a hurricane on paper. Damage tends to be distributed along a storm track rather than concentrated on a coastline, and a declaration typically follows an outbreak that crossed several counties over a few days, not a single point of impact. Because the qualifying threshold is the cost of uninsured public and individual losses rather than storm intensity, two similar storms can produce a declaration in one year and none in another.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Emergency - 12 54.5%
of all 22 declarations
Major Disaster - 10 45.5%
of all 22 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 2 | |
| 2004 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 2001 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 1 | |
| 1987 | 1 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1986 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 22 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 22 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3599 | HURRICANE LEE | EM | Hurricane | 2023-09-15 |
| 4496 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-27 |
| 3438 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4110 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-04-19 |
| 3350 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-28 |
| 4051 | SEVERE STORM AND SNOWSTORM | DR | Severe Storm | 2012-01-06 |
| 3343 | SEVERE STORM | EM | Severe Storm | 2011-11-01 |
| 4028 | TROPICAL STORM IRENE | DR | Hurricane | 2011-09-03 |
| 3330 | HURRICANE IRENE | EM | Hurricane | 2011-08-26 |
| 1813 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 2009-01-05 |
| 3296 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Severe Storm | 2008-12-13 |
| 1701 | SEVERE STORMS AND INLAND AND COASTAL FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2007-05-16 |
| 1614 | SEVERE STORMS AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2005-11-10 |
| 3252 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 3201 | RECORD AND/OR NEAR RECORD SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2005-02-17 |
| 3191 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2004-01-15 |
| 3175 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2003-03-11 |
| 3165 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2001-03-28 |
| 1090 | BLIZZARD OF 96 | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-24 |
| 3103 | BLIZZARDS, HIGH WINDS & RECORD SNOWFALL | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-16 |
Show 2 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 790 | SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING | DR | Flood | 1987-04-18 |
| 751 | HURRICANE GLORIA | DR | Hurricane | 1985-10-28 |
Storm Events in Massachusetts
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Franklin County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 2,101 | 2 | 7 | $13.2M |
| Strong Wind | 1,019 | 4 | 8 | $3.2M |
| High Wind | 722 | 3 | 10 | $10.8M |
| Flood | 563 | 0 | 0 | $4.0M |
| Winter Weather | 390 | 1 | 14 | $1.4M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
114
Total Paid
$3.8M
Avg Per Claim
$33.2K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 60.7/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$22.9M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Landslide Relatively Low
Hurricane Relatively Low
Ice Storm Relatively Moderate
Riverine Flooding Relatively Moderate
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Very Low
Drought Relatively Low
Avalanche Very Low
Winter Weather Relatively Low
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Hail Relatively Low
Wildfire Very Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Landslide
Landslide risk is a function of slope, soil and water, so it is usually a SECOND-ORDER hazard: it is triggered by the rainfall, snowmelt, wildfire burn scars or seismic shaking that came first. That is why a county can carry high landslide exposure whose realized damage is recorded under a flood or storm declaration instead.
Worth noting for Franklin County: the model and the federal record do NOT point at the same hazard. Landslide carries the highest modeled rating (Relatively Low), while the county's declaration history is led by Severe Storm. That is not a contradiction, the two measure genuinely different things. Declarations record federal ACTION, which requires damage costly enough to exceed state and local capacity; the Risk Index models EXPECTED annual loss across all 18 hazards whether or not any declaration ever followed. A hazard can be the county's largest modeled exposure and never once have driven a declaration.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Franklin County's closest FEMA peer: Chatham County, NC
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Franklin County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Franklin County shows 22 FEMA declarations, led by Severe Storm.
Similar Major-disaster share
Franklin County: 10 of 22 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Franklin County: NRI composite 60.7 (Relatively Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Franklin County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Franklin County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 60.7 (Relatively Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 22. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Franklin County's NFIP claims file (114 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Franklin County?
The most common disaster type in Franklin County is Severe Storm, with 6 declarations. Other disaster types include Hurricane (6), Snowstorm (6), Biological (2).
How does Franklin County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Massachusetts average?
The typical Massachusetts county has 28.8 FEMA declaration records; Franklin County has 22, or 24% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 6% higher. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Franklin County received?
Franklin County has received 10 major disaster declarations, representing 45% of all 22 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Franklin County filed?
Franklin County has 114 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $3.8M in payments, with an average of $33.2K per claim.
Does FEMA's top risk-rated hazard match the highest Expected Annual Loss in Franklin County?
No. In Franklin County, Landslide has the highest National Risk Index rating (Relatively Low), while Riverine Flooding leads Expected Annual Loss at about $16.0M. FEMA's risk score and dollar-loss model use different inputs, so the leaders often differ.
What was the worst year for disasters in Franklin County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Franklin County was 2005, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1986 to 2023.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Franklin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Franklin County, Massachusetts has an overall risk score of 60.7 out of 100 (Relatively Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Relatively Low; on community resilience, Very High. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $22.9M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Franklin County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Franklin County is Landslide (risk rating: Relatively Low). Other significant hazards include Hurricane (Relatively Low) and Ice Storm (Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts landslide here at an average of 1.2 times per year. These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Franklin County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Massachusetts profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events