FEMA Records
20
Above median
Massachusetts · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Nantucket County, MA
20 FEMA disaster declarations (1972-2023), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 20
- FEMA declarations
- 11
- Major disasters
- 39
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Nantucket County has a nationally busy FEMA history: 20 declarations, more than 46% of counties in this registry. But the state comparison tempers that reading: the total is 31% below the Massachusetts county mean. FEMA's separate National Risk Index places the county safer than 39%; that score models loss and vulnerability rather than counting declarations.
- Safer than 39%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 20
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 602
- 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 25019 · Nantucket County 20 declarations · rank 1689/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-MID · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-BELOW
- DECL-HEAVY 20
- MAJOR-MID 55%
- RANK-LOWER #1,689
- PHOTO-FINISH Monona
- NRI-LOW Very Low
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Hurricane
- VS-ST-BELOW -31%
Nearest declaration peer: Monona, IA (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · Massachusetts state profile
Nantucket County in the declaration-count neighbourhood
FEMA declaration records among Nantucket County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Cleveland · near 20
Cleveland · near
20 declarations
- Monona · near 20
Monona · near
20 declarations
- Nantucket · this county 20
Nantucket · this county
20 declarations
- Tallapoosa · near 20
Tallapoosa · near
20 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Nantucket County carries 20 FEMA declaration records, ranked 1689 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
How Nantucket County's FEMA declaration count compares nationally
Nantucket County vs. all counties in this dataset
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Nantucket County
20 46th percentile higher than 46% 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
Nantucket County's FEMA Risk Index score
What does Nantucket County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
FEMA's NFIP table contains a substantial paid-claim history for this county: 602 claims and $17.6M in payments. PlainHazard labels 500 or more claims a heavy registry record; that is a reporting bucket, not an official FEMA risk grade. The average paid claim was $29.2K. NFIP totals exclude uninsured flood losses and do not measure how many properties currently carry a policy.
Start with the state benchmark: a Massachusetts county averages 28.8 federal declaration records, while Nantucket County has 20. The gap is 31% 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
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 38.7/100 for this county (Very Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Relatively Low (roughly $22.9M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Very Low) and community resilience (Very High) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Hurricane carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 5 years here, based on 46 historical events on record.
55 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Nantucket 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) Moderate
14/30
20 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.0x national county average)
County Disaster Density Moderate
9/25
20 declarations (0.7x state county average of 29)
Major Disaster Share High
14/25
11 of 20 declarations are major disasters (55%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
18/20
7 different disaster types declared in Nantucket County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Nantucket 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
55%
Major-heavy
NRI risk score
39
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Nantucket 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 5 years |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | an average of 3.7 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,136 years |
| Drought | Very Low | 1.1 modeled event-days per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | roughly once every 4 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 27,955 years |
| Lightning | Very Low | an average of 14 times per year |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Tornado | Very Low | roughly once every 117 years |
| Hail | Very Low | roughly once every 6 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 174 years |
| Strong Wind | Very Low | roughly once every 12 years |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | an average of 5.8 times per year |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 67 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 7
Snowstorm 4
Severe Storm 3
Biological 2
Coastal Storm 2
Flood 1
Fishing Losses 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Nantucket County's federal record, 35% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
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).
Major Disaster - 11 55.0%
of all 20 declarations
Emergency - 9 45.0%
of all 20 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 2 | |
| 1992 | 1 | |
| 1991 | 1 | |
| 1978 | 1 | |
| 1972 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 20 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 20 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 |
| 4372 | SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2018-06-25 |
| 4214 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2015-04-13 |
| 4110 | SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, AND FLOODING | DR | Severe Storm | 2013-04-19 |
| 4097 | HURRICANE SANDY | DR | Hurricane | 2012-12-19 |
| 3350 | HURRICANE SANDY | EM | Hurricane | 2012-10-28 |
| 3330 | HURRICANE IRENE | EM | Hurricane | 2011-08-26 |
| 3315 | HURRICANE EARL | EM | Hurricane | 2010-09-02 |
| 3252 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-13 |
| 3201 | RECORD AND/OR NEAR RECORD SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2005-02-17 |
| 3175 | SNOW | EM | Snowstorm | 2003-03-11 |
| 1090 | BLIZZARD OF 96 | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-24 |
| 3103 | BLIZZARDS, HIGH WINDS & RECORD SNOWFALL | EM | Snowstorm | 1993-03-16 |
| 975 | WINTER COASTAL STORM | DR | Coastal Storm | 1992-12-21 |
| 920 | COASTAL STORM | DR | Coastal Storm | 1991-11-04 |
| 914 | HURRICANE BOB | DR | Hurricane | 1991-08-26 |
| 546 | COASTAL STORMS, FLOOD, ICE & SNOW | DR | Flood | 1978-02-10 |
| 357 | TOXIC ALGAE IN COASTAL WATERS | DR | Fishing Losses | 1972-09-28 |
Storm Events in Massachusetts
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Nantucket 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
602
Total Paid
$17.6M
Avg Per Claim
$29.2K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 38.7/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$22.9M/year
Social Vulnerability
Very Low
Community Resilience
Very High
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hurricane Relatively Moderate
Coastal Flooding Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Very Low
Drought Very Low
Riverine Flooding Very Low
Wildfire Very Low
Lightning Very Low
Cold Wave Very Low
Tornado Very Low
Hail Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Strong Wind Very Low
Winter Weather Very Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Heat Wave No Rating
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: Hurricane
Hurricane exposure in the model bundles the three ways a tropical system does harm, which arrive on different timescales and are insured differently: wind, storm surge on the coast, and rainfall flooding that can reach far inland well after landfall.
For Nantucket County the two measures on this page point the same way: Hurricane is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Hurricane declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
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
Nantucket County's closest FEMA peer: Saratoga County, NY
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Nantucket County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Nantucket County shows 20 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Nantucket County: 11 of 20 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Nantucket County: NRI composite 38.7 (Very 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 Nantucket County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Nantucket 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: 38.7 (Very Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 20. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Nantucket County's NFIP claims file (602 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 Nantucket County?
The most common disaster type in Nantucket County is Hurricane, with 7 declarations. Other disaster types include Snowstorm (4), Severe Storm (3), Biological (2).
How does Nantucket County's FEMA declaration record compare with the Massachusetts average?
The typical Massachusetts county has 28.8 FEMA declaration records; Nantucket County has 20, or 31% fewer. Against the national county mean of 20.7, this county's total is 3% lower. The comparison is historical and says nothing about the probability of a future event.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Nantucket County received?
Nantucket County has received 11 major disaster declarations, representing 55% of all 20 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Nantucket County filed?
Nantucket County has 602 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $17.6M in payments, with an average of $29.2K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Nantucket County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Nantucket County was 2013, with 3 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1972 to 2023.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Nantucket County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Nantucket County, Massachusetts has an overall risk score of 38.7 out of 100 (Very Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Very 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 Nantucket County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in Nantucket County is Hurricane (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Coastal Flooding (Relatively Moderate) and Earthquake (Very Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hurricane here at roughly once every 5 years, drawn from 46 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
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 Nantucket County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · Massachusetts profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events