Natural hazards · Strafford

Strafford, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Strafford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1996. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Strafford?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Strafford to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Strafford faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% 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 Strafford flood?

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

6paid claims since 1996

$139Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $121K
Vermont/New York Flooding: 1 claim, $10K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Orange County.

Disasters that hit Strafford

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into StraffordDeclared for Orange County only

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

17 households applied for aid $109K aid approved $2.0M to the Town of Strafford for repairs

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$77K to the Town of Strafford for repairs

2017

Severe Storms and Flooding

$407K to the Town of Strafford for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

24 households applied for aid $31K aid approved $2.4M to the Town of Strafford for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$80K to the Town of Strafford for repairs

Orange County has had 28 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Strafford

Strafford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Fairleemostly inland floodingHigh

Straffordmostly inland floodingHigh

Tunbridgemostly inland floodingHigh

Vershiremostly inland floodingHigh

Sharonmostly inland floodingModerate

Thetfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Royaltonmostly 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. Strafford 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 Strafford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Strafford. 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.