Natural hazards · Reading

Reading, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Reading comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 2011. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Reading?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Reading to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Everything else22%

By hazard

What Reading 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

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Reading flood?

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

5paid claims since 2011

$417Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20112026

Biggest named events

Vermont/New York Flooding: 3 claims, $342K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $68K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Reading isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Windsor County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Reading

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ReadingDeclared for Windsor County only

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

27 households applied for aid $277K aid approved $1.3M to the Town of Reading for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

59 households applied for aid $194K aid approved $1.7M to the Town of Reading for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

$3K to the Town of Reading for repairs

2001

Snow

$4K to the Town of Reading for repairs

Windsor County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Reading

Reading and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Plymouthmostly inland floodingHigh

Bridgewatermostly inland floodingHigh

Cavendishmostly inland floodingHigh

Woodstockmostly inland floodingHigh

Readingmostly inland floodingModerate

West Windsormostly inland floodingModerate

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. Reading covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Reading’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Reading. 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 Reading total about $973K 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.