Natural hazards · Montpelier

Montpelier, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Montpelier comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 283 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Montpelier?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding83%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Montpelier 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 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Montpelier flood?

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

283paid claims since 1978

$12.3Mpaid to owners

23homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Vermont/New York Flooding: 80 claims, $8.9M
Hurricane Irene: 33 claims, $407K
December Nor'easter: 10 claims, $120K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9buildings floodproofed

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Montpelier

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MontpelierDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

44 households applied for aid $410K aid approved $62K to the City of Montpelier for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

430 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $16.2M to the City of Montpelier for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

122 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $9K to the City of Montpelier for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

47 households applied for aid $60K aid approved $276K to the City of Montpelier for repairs

Washington County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Montpelier

Montpelier and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Montpeliermostly inland floodingHigh

Berlinmostly inland floodingModerate

Middlesexmostly inland floodingLow

East Montpeliermostly 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. Montpelier covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Montpelier’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Montpelier. 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 Montpelier total about $3.6M 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.