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Natural hazards · Grafton

Grafton, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Grafton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1996. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Grafton?

63
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Grafton to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves10%Everything else12%
By hazard

What Grafton faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 42% 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 Grafton flood?

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

12paid claims since 1996
$279Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19962026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $179K
  • Vermont/New York Flooding: 2 claims, $85K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Grafton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Windham County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Grafton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GraftonDeclared for Windham County only
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

17 households applied for aid $103K aid approved $1.7M to the Town of Grafton for repairs
2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$452K to the Town of Grafton for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

43 households applied for aid $105K aid approved $3.0M to the Town of Grafton for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$25K to the Town of Grafton for repairs
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

$122K to the Town of Grafton for repairs
2001

Snow

$10K to the Town of Grafton for repairs
Windham County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Grafton

Grafton and the towns around it

Athens: High, mostly inland floodingWindham: High, mostly inland floodingTownshend: High, mostly inland floodingRockingham: High, mostly inland floodingChester: High, mostly inland floodingWestminster: Low, mostly inland floodingLondonderry: Moderate, mostly inland floodingJamaica: High, mostly inland floodingAndover: Low, mostly inland floodingWardsboro: Very low, mostly inland floodingNewfane: High, mostly inland floodingCharlestown: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWalpole: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBellows Falls: High, mostly inland floodingSpringfield: Low, mostly inland floodingLudlow: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGrafton: High, mostly inland flooding GraftonAthensWindhamTownshendRockinghamChester
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Chestermostly inland floodingHigh
Rockinghammostly inland floodingHigh
Graftonmostly inland floodingHigh
Athensmostly inland floodingHigh
Windhammostly inland floodingHigh
Townshendmostly inland floodingHigh
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. Grafton 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 Grafton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Grafton. 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.

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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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