Natural hazards · Washington

Washington, CT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Washington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 2005.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Washington?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Washington to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Hurricanes12%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Washington faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDroughtAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Washington flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Washington, from FEMA’s records.

8paid claims since 2005

$204Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20052026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $166K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Washington isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: .

Around Washington

Washington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

New Milfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Kentmostly inland floodingHigh

Woodburymostly inland floodingHigh

Washingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Roxburymostly inland floodingHigh

Litchfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Morrismostly inland floodingModerate

Warrenmostly inland floodingModerate

Bethlehemmostly inland floodingLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Washington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Washington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Washington. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Washington total about $2.6M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.