Washington County, VT
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington County has experienced 33 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.
Washington County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, winter weather, and lightning, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 31 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Washington County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1973, covering 5 disaster types including severe storm (14), flood (13), hurricane (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Depression Debby |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Henri |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 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 | 19.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.9 | 25 | 1 | $118.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.8 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 67.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.7 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 23.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 50.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 46.9 | — | — | — |
| 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
Washington County ranks in the 16th percentile (Very 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 12th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 15th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 58th | 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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 15 in 2016–20 vs 16 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 Washington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washington County, Vermont are landslide, winter weather, and lightning. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Washington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (14 declarations).
Has Washington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washington County include Tropical Depression Debby (2024), Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Washington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chittenden County, VT has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lamoille County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Washington County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Washington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Washington 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. Washington County's composite score of 52 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 52% of US counties.