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Natural hazards · Bristol

Bristol, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bristol comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1998. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bristol?

34
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bristol to be higher than in 34% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Cold waves8%Everything else19%
By hazard

What Bristol faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 45% 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 Bristol flood?

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

3paid claims since 1998
$25Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19982026
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Bristol isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Addison County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

15flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Bristol

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BristolDeclared for Addison County only
2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

15 households applied for aid $75K aid approved $10K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$103K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$184K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2017

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm

$32K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

7 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $40K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $7K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$74K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2001

Snow

$5K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
Addison County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Bristol

Bristol and the towns around it

New Haven: Very low, mostly inland floodingLincoln: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMiddlebury: Very low, mostly inland floodingStarksboro: Low, mostly inland floodingRipton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMonkton: Low, mostly inland floodingWeybridge: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaltham: Very low, mostly inland floodingFerrisburgh: Low, mostly inland floodingAddison: Very low, mostly inland floodingWarren: Low, mostly inland floodingGranville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFayston: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCornwall: Very low, mostly inland floodingSalisbury: Very low, mostly inland floodingHuntington: High, mostly inland floodingHinesburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingHancock: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGoshen: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCharlotte: Low, mostly inland floodingBristol: Low, mostly inland flooding BristolNew HavenLincolnMiddleburyStarksboroRiptonMonkton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Lincolnmostly inland floodingModerate
Riptonmostly inland floodingModerate
Bristolmostly inland floodingLow
Starksboromostly inland floodingLow
Monktonmostly inland floodingLow
New Havenmostly inland floodingVery low
Middleburymostly 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. Bristol covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bristol’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bristol. 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 Bristol total about $1.1M 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.

The door’s open

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You’re in Bristol, VTAddison CountyView boundary

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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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