Natural hazards · Richmond

Richmond, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Richmond comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 50 claims here since 1979. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Richmond?

75
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Richmond to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and avalanches.

Inland flooding73%Avalanches17%Everything else9%
By hazard

What Richmond faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Avalanches

17% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 30 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Richmond flood?

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

50paid claims since 1979
$1.1Mpaid to owners
5homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 13 claims, $394K
  • Vermont/New York Flooding: 8 claims, $173K
  • December Nor'easter: 2 claims, $26K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Richmond 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
18homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Richmond

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RichmondDeclared for Chittenden County only
2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

146 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $2.9M to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2024

Severe Winter Storm

$9K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

137 households applied for aid $322K aid approved $884K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$552K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2018

Severe Storm and Flooding

$134K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2015

Severe Storm and Flooding

$169K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm

$15K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$138K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

40 households applied for aid $199K aid approved $124K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $52K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
2001

Snow

$10K to the Town of Richmond for repairs
Chittenden County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Richmond

Richmond and the towns around it

Bolton: Low, mostly inland floodingWilliston: Very low, mostly inland floodingJericho: Very low, mostly inland floodingHuntington: High, mostly inland floodingDuxbury: High, mostly inland floodingWaterbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Burlington: Very low, mostly inland floodingEssex: Very low, mostly inland floodingEssex Junction: Low, mostly inland floodingSt. George: Very low, mostly inland floodingUnderhill: Low, mostly inland floodingStarksboro: Low, mostly inland floodingRichmond: High, mostly inland flooding RichmondBoltonWillistonJerichoHuntington
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Huntingtonmostly inland floodingHigh
Richmondmostly inland floodingHigh
Boltonmostly inland floodingLow
Jerichomostly inland floodingVery low
Willistonmostly 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. Richmond covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Richmond’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Richmond. 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 Richmond total about $2.6M 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.

The coffee’s on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Richmond, VTChittenden CountyView boundary

Nearby

All towns & citiesExplore the map
Loading boundary…

Richmond is your selected town. The feed includes posts assigned to this town, not a distance radius or ZIP code.

Neighborhoods narrow the feed further, while townwide announcements, events, and issues remain visible.

Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01