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Natural hazards · Rochester

Rochester, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rochester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1998. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Rochester?

63
High
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding81%Everything else19%
By hazard

What Rochester faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% 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 Rochester flood?

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

7paid claims since 1998
$443Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19982026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 6 claims, $440K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Rochester 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

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Rochester

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RochesterDeclared for Windsor County only
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

7 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $11K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$328K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm

$50K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$28K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

119 households applied for aid $363K aid approved $2.7M to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$317K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2001

Snow

$3K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$16K to the Town of Rochester for repairs
Windsor County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Rochester

Rochester and the towns around it

Pittsfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHancock: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChittenden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBraintree: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBethel: High, mostly inland floodingGoshen: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGranville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStockbridge: Moderate, mostly inland floodingKillington: Very low, mostly inland floodingRipton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPittsford: Low, mostly inland floodingBrandon: Low, mostly inland floodingRutland: Very low, mostly inland floodingRandolph: Low, mostly inland floodingBrookfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRoxbury: Low, mostly inland floodingRoyalton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingTunbridge: High, mostly inland floodingLeicester: Very low, mostly inland floodingSalisbury: Very low, mostly inland floodingWarren: Low, mostly inland floodingLincoln: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarnard: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBridgewater: High, mostly inland floodingRochester: High, mostly inland flooding RochesterPittsfieldHancockChittendenBraintreeBethelGoshenGranvilleStockbridge
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Rochestermostly inland floodingHigh
Bethelmostly inland floodingHigh
Hancockmostly inland floodingModerate
Goshenmostly inland floodingModerate
Granvillemostly inland floodingModerate
Stockbridgemostly inland floodingModerate
Braintreemostly inland floodingModerate
Pittsfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
Chittendenmostly 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. Rochester covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rochester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Rochester. 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 Rochester total about $1.5M 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.

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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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