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Natural hazards · Charleston

Charleston, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Charleston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Charleston?

60
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Charleston to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding83%Cold waves6%Everything else11%
By hazard

What Charleston faces

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

Inland flooding

83% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Charleston flood?

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

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

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CharlestonDeclared for Orleans County only
2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$358K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$339K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm

$3K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2014

Severe Storms and Flooding

$14K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storms

$5K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$57K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$165K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$160K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$46K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2002

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
2001

Snow

$3K to the Town of Charleston for repairs
Orleans County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Charleston

Charleston and the towns around it

Brighton: High, mostly inland floodingMorgan: High, mostly inland floodingDerby: Low, mostly inland floodingWestmore: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNewark: Low, mostly inland floodingHolland: High, mostly inland floodingNewport: Low, mostly inland floodingNewport: Low, mostly inland floodingBrownington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCoventry: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSutton: Low, mostly inland floodingBarton: High, mostly inland floodingCharleston: High, mostly inland flooding CharlestonBrightonMorganDerbyWestmore
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Charlestonmostly inland floodingHigh
Brightonmostly inland floodingHigh
Morganmostly inland floodingHigh
Westmoremostly inland floodingModerate
Derbymostly 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. Charleston 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 Charleston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Charleston. 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.

The coffee’s on

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You’re in Charleston, VTOrleans 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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