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Natural hazards · Bolton

Bolton, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bolton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1992. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bolton?

37
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bolton to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and avalanches.

Inland flooding65%Avalanches19%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Bolton faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Avalanches

19% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Bolton flood?

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

14paid claims since 1992
$564Kpaid to owners
2homes flooded more than once
19922026

Biggest named events

  • Vermont/New York Flooding: 5 claims, $177K
  • Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $114K
  • December Nor'easter: 2 claims, $124K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Bolton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Chittenden County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7homes raised above flood level
3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Bolton

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BoltonDeclared for Chittenden County only
2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $69K aid approved $933K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

7 households applied for aid $44K aid approved $298K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$203K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2018

Severe Storm and Flooding

$81K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2015

Severe Storm and Flooding

$201K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$26K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

3 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $106K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$37K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
2001

Snow

$7K to the Town of Bolton for repairs
Chittenden County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Bolton

Bolton and the towns around it

Duxbury: High, mostly inland floodingRichmond: High, mostly inland floodingJericho: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaterbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHuntington: High, mostly inland floodingFayston: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMoretown: High, mostly inland floodingWilliston: Very low, mostly inland floodingEssex: Very low, mostly inland floodingUnderhill: Low, mostly inland floodingMiddlesex: Low, mostly inland floodingStowe: Low, mostly inland floodingStarksboro: Low, mostly inland floodingBolton: Low, mostly inland flooding BoltonDuxburyRichmondJerichoWaterburyHuntington
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Huntingtonmostly inland floodingHigh
Richmondmostly inland floodingHigh
Duxburymostly inland floodingHigh
Waterburymostly inland floodingModerate
Boltonmostly inland floodingLow
Jerichomostly 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. Bolton 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 Bolton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bolton. 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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