Natural hazards · Essex Junction

Essex Junction, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Essex Junction comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Essex Junction?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Essex Junction to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Heat waves7%Cold waves5%Lightning5%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Essex Junction faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lightning

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

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 Essex Junction flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Essex Junction 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.

Disasters that hit Essex Junction

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Essex JunctionDeclared for Chittenden County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

4 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

16 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

2 households applied for aid

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

38 households applied for aid $49K aid approved

2010

Severe Storm

$1K to the City of Essex Junction for repairs

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

Around Essex Junction

Essex Junction and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Essex Junctionmostly inland floodingLow

Willistonmostly inland floodingVery low

Essexmostly 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. Essex Junction covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Essex Junction’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Essex Junction. 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 Essex Junction total about $1.7M 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.