Plymouth County, MA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Plymouth County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Hurricane Lee in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Plymouth County's highest-rated hazards are coastal flooding, inland flooding, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 88 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Plymouth County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1972, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (7), snowstorm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Irene |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 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 | 53.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.9 | 31 | 0 | $131K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 94.4 | 23 | 0 | $510K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 48.2 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 7.1 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 61.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.6 | 10 | 0 | $34K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.6 | 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
Plymouth County ranks in the 31st 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 | 31st | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 47th | Low |
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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 15th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 88 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 45 in 2016–20 vs 43 in 2021–25 (-4% — relatively stable).
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 Plymouth County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Plymouth County, Massachusetts are coastal flooding, inland flooding, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Plymouth County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Plymouth County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Plymouth County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Plymouth County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Lee in 2023.
How does Plymouth County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Suffolk County, MA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Dukes County, MA has the lowest (Very Low). Plymouth County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Plymouth County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Plymouth 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. Plymouth County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.