Safest places to live in Massachusetts from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Massachusetts is in Dukes County, Berkshire County, Franklin County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Barnstable County, driven by coastal flooding. This page ranks every Massachusetts county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Massachusetts
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Dukes County | Low | none rated high |
| Berkshire County | Low | hurricane |
| Franklin County | Low | riverine flooding |
| Hampshire County | Low | hurricane |
| Nantucket County | Low | hurricane |
| Bristol County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
| Hampden County | Elevated | hurricane |
| Middlesex County | Elevated | hurricane |
Highest-risk counties in Massachusetts
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | High | coastal flooding |
| Essex County | High | coastal flooding |
| Plymouth County | High | coastal flooding |
| Bristol County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
| Hampden County | Elevated | hurricane |
Dominant perils in Massachusetts
Across Massachusetts, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are hurricane, coastal flooding, riverine flooding. County rankings reflect physical exposure, not dollar value, so a county can rank low here even if it is densely developed. For a specific property, the flood zone and exact peril ratings matter more than the county summary.
Look up any Massachusetts address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.