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Natural hazards · Williston

Williston, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Williston comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2011. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Williston?

15
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Williston to be higher than in 15% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Earthquakes8%Everything else19%
By hazard

What Williston 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
Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Williston flood?

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

3paid claims since 2011
$23Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
20112026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Williston 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.
Disasters that hit Williston

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WillistonDeclared for Chittenden County only
2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

9 households applied for aid $71K aid approved $25K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2024

Severe Winter Storm

$8K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

8 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $289K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2019

Severe Storm and Flooding

$329K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2018

Severe Storm and Flooding

$30K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2013

Severe Storms and Flooding

$390K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $4K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $23K aid approved $43K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2010

Severe Storm

$42K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Williston for repairs
2001

Snow

$7K to the Town of Williston for repairs
Chittenden County has had 29 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Williston

Williston and the towns around it

South Burlington: Very low, mostly inland floodingEssex: Very low, mostly inland floodingJericho: Very low, mostly inland floodingEssex Junction: Low, mostly inland floodingRichmond: High, mostly inland floodingSt. George: Very low, mostly inland floodingBurlington: Low, mostly inland floodingWillsboro: High, mostly inland floodingColchester: Very low, mostly inland floodingChesterfield: High, mostly inland floodingShelburne: Very low, mostly inland floodingWinooski: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWestford: Low, mostly inland floodingUnderhill: Low, mostly inland floodingBolton: Low, mostly inland floodingHuntington: High, mostly inland floodingHinesburg: Very low, mostly inland floodingWilliston: Very low, mostly inland flooding WillistonSouth BurlingtonEssexJerichoEssex JunctionRichmondSt. George
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Richmondmostly inland floodingHigh
Essex Junctionmostly inland floodingLow
Jerichomostly inland floodingVery low
St. Georgemostly inland floodingVery low
Willistonmostly inland floodingVery low
South Burlingtonmostly inland floodingVery low
Essexmostly 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. Williston covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Williston’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Williston. 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 Williston total about $3.1M 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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