Bristol County, MA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Bristol County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Bristol County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, hurricane, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 35% 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. Bristol County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (8), snowstorm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Lee |
| 2022 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 38.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.6 | 82 | 0 | $255K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 66.4 | 7 | 0 | $7K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 52.1 | 5 | 0 | $90K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.2 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 67 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | 14 | 0 | $259K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 60 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 46.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Bristol County ranks in the 62nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 63rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 70th | 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 | 10th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 11th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 35.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 127 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 54 in 2016–20 vs 73 in 2021–25 (+35% — 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 Bristol County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Bristol County, Massachusetts are inland flooding, hurricane, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Bristol County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Bristol County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Bristol County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Bristol County include Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Bristol County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Providence County, RI has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bristol County, RI has the lowest (Very Low). Bristol County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Bristol County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Bristol 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. Bristol County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.