BOSTON, September 17 — Massachusetts has averaged one federally declared disaster per year over the most recent five full years, according to USAFacts data drawn from Federal Emergency Management Agency records, a rolling figure that matters for how the state plans and pays for recovery. The count was updated on September 14, 2026, and the underlying data is refreshed monthly. As of September 3, 2026, one disaster had been declared in Massachusetts for the year, following a year in which the state recorded zero declarations in 2025.
A declaration is not simply a label attached to a storm. It is a formal request for federal aid when state, local, or tribal resources are overwhelmed, and it takes effect only when the president determines that federal support is necessary.
That gatekeeping step is why the annual tally moves around. Officials noted the number of declarations in any given year varies because of the type and severity of disasters, whether the president approves requests for federal assistance, and other factors.
Two main categories, one cap
FEMA data separates declarations into two primary types, and the distinction carries money with it. A major disaster declaration applies to hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, landslides, mudslides, droughts, explosions, and other severe natural events. These typically cause widespread damage requiring long-term recovery efforts.
An emergency declaration is issued when the president determines federal assistance is needed to protect lives, property, or public health and safety. Aid under that category is capped at $5 million and is intended for urgent crises, which can include public health emergencies such as COVID-19, terrorist attacks, power outages, or events related to natural disasters.
A third type, fire management, applies to managing and suppressing fires. The Massachusetts page does not list the specific events behind individual declarations, nor does it break down how many of the state’s declarations fell into each category. The data also does not indicate how many requests for federal assistance were denied, only the declarations that were ultimately approved.
What the five-year figure does and does not cover
The one-declaration-per-year average is a five-year rolling figure. It reflects the most recent five full years of FEMA data rather than the state’s entire historical record. The Massachusetts page sits inside USAFacts’ broader explainer on how many disasters are declared in the United States, organized by state, and within the organization’s Environment section.
USAFacts, founded by Steve Ballmer, publishes the data with a stated refresh cadence of monthly, and the page carries a date modified of September 14, 2026. For readers tracking disaster frequency, the takeaway is narrow and specific.
Massachusetts has averaged one declaration annually over the most recent five full years, with one declaration recorded as of September 3, 2026, and none in 2025. Watch the monthly refresh. With the data updated on a monthly cadence, the next revision will show whether 2026 stays at a single declaration or climbs toward the five-year norm.
