Natural hazards · Orange

Orange, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orange comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 1995. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Orange?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orange to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding49%Hurricanes14%Drought13%Earthquakes7%Strong wind5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Orange faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Drought

13% of expected damage

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Orange flood?

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

2paid claims since 1995

$76Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19952026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Orange

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrangeDeclared for Orange County only

2011

Earthquake

130 households applied for aid $204K aid approved

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$27K to the Town of Orange for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

16 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $31K to the Town of Orange for repairs

2003

Severe Winter Storm, Record/Near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, and Mudslide

$11K to the Town of Orange for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storms

$5K to the Town of Orange for repairs

Orange County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

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. Orange covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orange’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Orange. 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 Orange total about $1.8M 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.