Natural hazards · Vinton

Vinton, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vinton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 67 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vinton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vinton to be higher than in 15% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Strong wind10%Cold waves6%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Vinton faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Vinton flood?

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

67paid claims since 1978

$1.3Mpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Fran: 5 claims, $31K
Tropical Storm Ivan: 3 claims, $56K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Vinton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Roanoke County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Vinton

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into VintonDeclared for Roanoke County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

3 households applied for aid

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Town of Vinton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding From the Remanants of Hurricane Jeanne

7 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2003

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

3 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Storms

$10K to the Town of Vinton for repairs

Roanoke County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Vinton

Vinton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Roanokemostly inland floodingLow

Vintonmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Vinton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Vinton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Vinton. 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 Vinton total about $1.3M 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.