Suffolk County, MA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Suffolk County has experienced 38 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.
Suffolk County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, heat wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 39% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (78th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Suffolk County has been designated in 38 declarations since 1972, covering 10 disaster types including snowstorm (9), hurricane (8), severe storm (7).
| 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 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 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 |
| 2013 | Terrorist | Explosions |
Showing the 10 most recent of 38 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 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 94.7 | 51 | 0 | $242K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 92.2 | 22 | 0 | $520K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 93.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76.9 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.2 | 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
Suffolk County ranks in the 78th percentile (High) 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 | 78th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 69th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 90th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | High |
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 | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 0.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 79 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 49 in 2016–20 vs 30 in 2021–25 (-39% — frequency decreasing).
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 Suffolk County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Suffolk County, Massachusetts are lightning, heat wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Suffolk County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Suffolk County has received 38 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (9 declarations).
Has Suffolk County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Suffolk County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Hurricane Lee in 2023.
How does Suffolk County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Middlesex County, MA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Bristol County, MA has the lowest (Relatively Moderate). Suffolk County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Suffolk County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Suffolk 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. Suffolk County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.