Safest places to live in Rhode Island from natural disasters
The lowest natural-disaster risk in Rhode Island is in Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, where FEMA rates few or no severe perils. The most exposed county is Providence County, driven by riverine flooding. This page ranks every Rhode Island county by physical peril exposure, from official FEMA National Risk Index data.
Lowest-risk counties in Rhode Island
| County | Physical risk | Top severe peril |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | Low | coastal flooding |
| Kent County | Low | hurricane |
| Newport County | Low | coastal flooding |
| Washington County | Low | hurricane |
| Providence County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
Highest-risk counties in Rhode Island
| County | Physical risk | Driven by |
|---|---|---|
| Providence County | Elevated | riverine flooding |
| Bristol County | Low | coastal flooding |
| Kent County | Low | hurricane |
| Newport County | Low | coastal flooding |
| Washington County | Low | hurricane |
Dominant perils in Rhode Island
Across Rhode Island, the perils most often rated Relatively High or higher by FEMA are 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 Rhode Island address on the Safe Havens map, or read how Plattow scores risk and FEMA flood zones. See all states on the states index.