Rutland County, VT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rutland County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Tropical Depression Debby in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Rutland County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, hurricane, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 29 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Rutland County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (7), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Depression Debby |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 | 23 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.3 | 14 | 0 | $3.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 58.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.5 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 25.8 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 70 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.4 | 10 | 0 | $5K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 53.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 61.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 65.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 66.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Rutland County ranks in the 40th 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 29th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 11th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | High |
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 | 12th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 (+7% — relatively stable).
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 Rutland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rutland County, Vermont are landslide, hurricane, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Rutland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rutland County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Rutland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rutland County include Tropical Depression Debby (2024), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Rutland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Warren County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Orange County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Rutland County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Rutland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rutland 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. Rutland County's composite score of 51 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 51% of US counties.