Caledonia County, VT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Caledonia County has experienced 31 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Tropical Depression Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Caledonia County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hurricane, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 57% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Caledonia County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including flood (12), severe storm (12), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Depression Debby |
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 17.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.8 | 26 | 3 | $17.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 44.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 27.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 71.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.6 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 48 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 46.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 31.6 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Caledonia County ranks in the 28th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 12th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 54th | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 22 in 2021–25 (+57% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Caledonia County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Caledonia County, Vermont are landslide, hurricane, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Caledonia County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Caledonia County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is flood (12 declarations).
Has Caledonia County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Caledonia County include Tropical Depression Debby (2024), Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024), Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Caledonia County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Grafton County, NH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Essex County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Caledonia County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Caledonia County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Caledonia County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Caledonia County's composite score of 30 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 30% of US counties.