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Natural hazards · Bennington

Bennington, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bennington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bennington?

48
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bennington to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding60%Cold waves29%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Bennington faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

29% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 44% 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 Bennington flood?

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

22paid claims since 1979
$164Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 10 claims, $141K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Bennington is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Bennington County.
Disasters that hit Bennington

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BenningtonDeclared for Bennington County only
2017

Severe Storms and Flooding

$71K to the Town of Bennington for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

115 households applied for aid $190K aid approved $3.7M to the Town of Bennington for repairs
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

$30K to the Town of Bennington for repairs
2001

Snow

$29K to the Town of Bennington for repairs
2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$36K to the Town of Bennington for repairs
Bennington County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Bennington

Bennington and the towns around it

Pownal: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHoosick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWoodford: High, mostly inland floodingShaftsbury: Low, mostly inland floodingPetersburgh: Very high, mostly inland floodingStamford: High, mostly inland floodingWhite Creek: High, mostly inland floodingCambridge: Low, mostly inland floodingPittstown: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSearsburg: High, mostly inland floodingArlington: High, mostly inland floodingBerlin: High, mostly inland floodingGrafton: Very low, mostly inland floodingBennington: Moderate, mostly inland flooding BenningtonPownalHoosickWoodfordShaftsburyPetersburgh
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Petersburghmostly inland floodingVery high
Woodfordmostly inland floodingHigh
Hoosickmostly inland floodingModerate
Benningtonmostly inland floodingModerate
Pownalmostly inland floodingModerate
Shaftsburymostly 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. Bennington covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bennington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bennington. 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 Bennington total about $7.2M 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.

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