#1Avon
Norfolk County · 4,861 peopleHazard risk grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B− · #192 of 282 in MA
Avon, #1 on this list · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY 3.0Massachusetts rankings · Hazard risk
Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk in Massachusetts
Avon ranks first on hazard risk among Massachusetts’ 283 towns of 2,500+; 150 of the 283 grade A− or better on hazard risk nationally.
The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). How grades work
#1A+
#2Marlborough
Middlesex County · 42,772 peopleHazard risk grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C · #242 of 282 in MA
#3Hopkinton
Middlesex County · 19,866 peopleHazard risk grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall A+ · #12 of 282 in MA
All 283 towns
Hazard risk grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
283 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
72West BridgewaterPlymouth County · 7,872 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #185 of 282
77Manchester-by-the-SeaEssex County · 5,475 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #16 of 282
102LeominsterWorcester County · 44,194 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #246 of 282
104WilmingtonMiddlesex County · 23,629 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #108 of 282
116CambridgeMiddlesex County · 122,588 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #190 of 282
119NorthboroughWorcester County · 16,080 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #47 of 282
120NorthbridgeWorcester County · 16,799 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #188 of 282
122Amherst Town College campusHampshire County · 40,920 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A−
133WorcesterWorcester County · 213,862 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #259 of 282
135Winthrop TownSuffolk County · 18,647 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #135 of 282
136BelchertownHampshire County · 15,265 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #147 of 282
140North Attleborough TownBristol County · 31,506 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #112 of 282
142BrewsterBarnstable County · 10,457 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #136 of 282
146ChelmsfordMiddlesex County · 38,549 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #98 of 282
147Bridgewater TownPlymouth County · 29,309 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #101 of 282
157Weymouth TownNorfolk County · 59,759 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #186 of 282
161MiddleboroughPlymouth County · 25,149 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #218 of 282
165South HadleyHampshire County · 17,768 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #129 of 282
171SouthamptonHampshire County · 6,085 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #124 of 282
178ProvincetownBarnstable County · 3,729 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #251 of 282
182North ReadingMiddlesex County · 16,553 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #51 of 282
185East BridgewaterPlymouth County · 14,602 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #122 of 282
186SturbridgeWorcester County · 10,120 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #146 of 282
196NorthamptonHampshire County · 31,047 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #223 of 282
197SomervilleMiddlesex County · 84,211 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #204 of 282
199TyngsboroughMiddlesex County · 12,721 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #220 of 282
204West Springfield TownHampden County · 28,829 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #269 of 282
209Randolph TownNorfolk County · 34,948 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #239 of 282
211SpringfieldHampden County · 154,702 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #281 of 282
214North BrookfieldWorcester County · 4,793 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #253 of 282
218WinchendonWorcester County · 10,620 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #256 of 282
219East LongmeadowHampden County · 16,581 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #159 of 282
225WinchesterMiddlesex County · 23,710 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #13 of 282
231SandwichBarnstable County · 20,575 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #100 of 282
235FalmouthBarnstable County · 33,361 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #193 of 282
236LanesboroughBerkshire County · 2,999 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #127 of 282
246Barnstable TownBarnstable County · 50,101 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #244 of 282
248BrookfieldWorcester County · 3,516 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #216 of 282
263West BrookfieldWorcester County · 3,947 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #215 of 282
264Braintree TownNorfolk County · 38,957 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #134 of 282
267WilliamstownBerkshire County · 9,186 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #109 of 282
270Great BarringtonBerkshire County · 7,239 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #224 of 282
276Southbridge TownWorcester County · 18,105 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #276 of 282
279North AdamsBerkshire County · 12,368 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #279 of 282
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which Massachusetts town has the lowest natural-hazard risk?
Avon (Norfolk County) ranks first on hazard risk among 283 towns, with an A+; Marlborough and Hopkinton follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a hazard risk grade (283 in Massachusetts). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Massachusetts page.
Go deeper
All Massachusetts rankings →More Massachusetts lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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