Natural hazards · Montpelier

Montpelier, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Montpelier comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2016. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Montpelier?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Montpelier to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and drought.

Inland flooding34%Drought24%Tornadoes17%Hurricanes14%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Montpelier faces

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

Inland flooding

34% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Drought

24% of expected damage

Recorded about 20 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Montpelier flood?

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

2paid claims since 2016

$209Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Mid-summer severe storms: 2 claims, $209K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Helena Parish.

Disasters that hit Montpelier

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Montpelier itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Montpelier.

Brought FEMA money into MontpelierDeclared for St. Helena Parish only

2021

Hurricane Ida

39 households applied for aid $81K aid approved $13K to the Village of Montpelier for repairs

2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $95K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Isaac

9 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $6K to the Village of Montpelier for repairs

2008

Hurricane Gustav

9 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2005

Hurricane Katrina

34 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $18K to the Village of Montpelier for repairs

St. Helena Parish has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Montpelier is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.

Montpelier, LA natural hazards

How exposed is Montpelier?

What Montpelier faces

Inland flooding

Drought

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Montpelier flood?

Biggest named events

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Hurricane Ida

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Isaac

Hurricane Gustav

Severe Storms and Flooding

Hurricane Katrina

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

Nearby