Natural hazards · Williamstown

Williamstown, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williamstown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2007. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Williamstown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williamstown to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Cold waves7%Lightning7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Williamstown faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lightning

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windAvalanches

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 Williamstown flood?

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

7paid claims since 2007

$600Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

Vermont/New York Flooding: 2 claims, $548K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Williamstown 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 Williamstown

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WilliamstownDeclared for Orange County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$60K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$381K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

127 households applied for aid $575K aid approved $1.2M to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$21K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$34K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$307K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

6 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $8K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$101K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$90K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$221K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

1999

Tropical Storm Floyd

$6K to the Town of Williamstown for repairs

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

Around Williamstown

Williamstown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Northfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Berlinmostly inland floodingModerate

Washingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Williamstownmostly inland floodingLow

Barremostly 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. Williamstown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Williamstown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Williamstown. 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 Williamstown total about $942K 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.