Rhode Island inland flooding risk
Providence County has the highest inland flooding risk in Rhode Island, scoring 96.6 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded inland flooding events across Rhode Island have increased 59% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence County | 96.6 | Relatively High | 80 |
| 2 | Kent County | 80.9 | Relatively Moderate | 18 |
| 3 | Washington County | 75.4 | Relatively Moderate | 10 |
| 4 | Newport County | 53 | Relatively Low | 6 |
| 5 | Bristol County | 36.1 | Relatively Low | 5 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Inland Flooding risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Rhode Island:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest inland flooding risk county in Rhode Island?
Providence County, RI has the highest inland flooding risk in Rhode Island, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.6 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes inland flooding risk in Rhode Island?
Inland flooding covers riverine and surface (pluvial) flooding — the most common and costly natural disaster type in the US. High scores appear across river floodplains in the Midwest, South, and Mid-Atlantic, where legacy development in flood-prone areas and aging stormwater infrastructure concentrate risk.