Natural hazards · Worcester

Worcester, VT natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Worcester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1995. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Worcester?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Worcester to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Everything else25%

By hazard

What Worcester faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times 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 Worcester flood?

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

1paid claims since 1995

$4Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19952026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Worcester

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WorcesterDeclared for Washington County only

2024

Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

33 households applied for aid $165K aid approved $4.0M to the Town of Worcester for repairs

2023

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

49 households applied for aid $175K aid approved $907K to the Town of Worcester for repairs

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$17K to the Town of Worcester for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

9 households applied for aid $18K aid approved $30K to the Town of Worcester for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$132K to the Town of Worcester for repairs

Washington County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Worcester

Worcester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Elmoremostly inland floodingModerate

Worcestermostly inland floodingLow

Stowemostly inland floodingLow

Middlesexmostly inland floodingLow

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