Natural hazards · Colchester

Colchester, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Colchester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 41 claims here since 1982. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Colchester?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Colchester to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding66%Earthquakes7%Heat waves6%Everything else21%

By hazard

What Colchester faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% 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 Colchester flood?

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

41paid claims since 1982

$967Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19822026

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

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Colchester is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Chittenden County.

Disasters that hit Colchester

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ColchesterDeclared for Chittenden County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

18 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

14 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

165 households applied for aid $354K aid approved

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

Around Colchester

Colchester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Au Sablemostly inland floodingHigh

Chesterfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Winooskimostly inland floodingModerate

South Heromostly inland floodingModerate

Burlingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Miltonmostly inland floodingLow

Colchestermostly inland floodingVery low

South Burlingtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Essexmostly 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. Colchester covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Colchester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Colchester. 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 Colchester total about $3.3M 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.