Natural hazards · Athens

Athens, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Athens comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Athens?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Athens to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves10%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Athens 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 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Athens flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Athens.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Windham County.

Disasters that hit Athens

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AthensDeclared for Windham County only

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $117K to the Town of Athens for repairs

2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$59K to the Town of Athens for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

16 households applied for aid $26K aid approved $131K to the Town of Athens for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$6K to the Town of Athens for repairs

2001

Snow

$3K to the Town of Athens for repairs

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

Around Athens

Athens and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Athensmostly inland floodingHigh

Graftonmostly inland floodingHigh

Townshendmostly inland floodingHigh

Westminstermostly 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. Athens 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 Athens’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Athens. 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.