Berkshire County, MA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Berkshire County has experienced 23 federally declared disasters since 1986, most recently Hurricane Lee in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Berkshire County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, hurricane, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Berkshire County has been designated in 23 declarations since 1986, covering 6 disaster types including snowstorm (7), severe storm (6), hurricane (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
Showing the 10 most recent of 23 total declarations since 1986.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 25.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | 44 | 0 | $1.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 72.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 34.9 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.8 | 1 | 0 | $9K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52.7 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 72.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.5 | 3 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Very Low | 22.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 66.2 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Berkshire County ranks in the 42nd percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 42nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 32nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 39th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 61st | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 14th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 63.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 74 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 40 in 2021–25 (+18% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Berkshire County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Berkshire County, Massachusetts are inland flooding, hurricane, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Berkshire County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Berkshire County has received 23 federal disaster declarations since 1986, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (7 declarations).
Has Berkshire County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Berkshire County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Lee in 2023.
How does Berkshire County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hampden County, MA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Franklin County, MA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Berkshire County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Berkshire County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Berkshire County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Berkshire County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.