Natural hazards · West Fairlee

West Fairlee, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Fairlee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Fairlee?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Fairlee to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Everything else19%

By hazard

What West Fairlee 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 87% 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 West Fairlee flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in West Fairlee.

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. West Fairlee 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit West Fairlee

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West FairleeDeclared for Orange County only

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

12 households applied for aid $45K aid approved $78K to the Town of West Fairlee for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

4 households applied for aid $42K aid approved $139K to the Town of West Fairlee for repairs

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

Around West Fairlee

West Fairlee and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Fairleemostly inland floodingHigh

Fairleemostly inland floodingHigh

Straffordmostly inland floodingHigh

Bradfordmostly inland floodingLow

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. West Fairlee covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Fairlee’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of West Fairlee. 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 West Fairlee total about $770K 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.