Plymouth County, Massachusetts: hazard risk
FEMA rates Plymouth County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 90.4 of 100, higher than 90% of rated U.S. counties); 4 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by coastal flooding, strong wind, lightning. Its storm record holds 1,633 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 94.4 | $14M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.6 | $3.2M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.6 | $1.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.1 | $690K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.9 | $71M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.7 | $11M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.9 | $2.5M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70.0 | $690K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.7 | $4.9M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.6 | $2.0M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.2 | $1.5M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.7 | $60K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.6 | $4K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 53.8 | $78K |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.1 | $27K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 702 | 4 | $9.5M | 4th of 12 | 26th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 312 | 0 | $19M | 10th of 12 | 787th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 197 | 1 | $9.1M | 9th of 12 | 1626th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 158 | 0 | $55M | 5th of 12 | 253rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 82 | 0 | $70K | 12th of 12 | 2191st of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 50 | 0 | – | 4th of 12 | 162nd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 45 | 1 | $2.1M | 6th of 12 | 75th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 26 | 0 | $6.1M | 5th of 12 | 306th of 1,849 |
| Drought | 23 | 0 | – | 10th of 12 | 1913th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 22 | 0 | – | 2nd of 12 | 745th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 10 | 1 | $3.2M | 11th of 12 | 2280th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | – | 8th of 12 | 2538th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Plymouth County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.