Natural hazards · Burlington

Burlington, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burlington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Burlington?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burlington to be higher than in 29% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding70%Earthquakes7%Heat waves5%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Burlington faces

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

Inland flooding

70% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 9% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Burlington flood?

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

12paid claims since 1979

$145Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Vermont/New York Flooding: 1 claim, $3K
December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Burlington 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

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Burlington

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurlingtonDeclared for Chittenden County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

11 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

44 households applied for aid $52K aid approved $1.5M to the City of Burlington for repairs

2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$150K to the City of Burlington for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

27 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $15K to the City of Burlington for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

85 households applied for aid $162K aid approved $782K to the City of Burlington for repairs

2001

Snow

$28K to the City of Burlington for repairs

Chittenden County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Burlington

Burlington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Winooskimostly inland floodingModerate

Burlingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Colchestermostly inland floodingVery low

South Burlingtonmostly 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. Burlington covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burlington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Burlington. 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 Burlington total about $9.4M 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.