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–Not graded
Natural hazards in Ludlow · FEMA

Storms, floods and disasters in Ludlow

Ludlow isn’t graded for hazard risk: Ludlow has 808 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 40 claims here since 2011.

Flood claims
40
paid since 2011 · $4.0M
Flooded more than once
1
properties
Disasters paid out here
2
of 24 declared for Windsor County
By hazard

What Ludlow faces

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

River and rain flooding

90%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 77% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about once a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Hurricanes Tornadoes Earthquakes Strong wind Ice storms Winter storms Lightning Wildfire Landslides Hail Cold waves Heat waves
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

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 Ludlow flood? Sometimes: 40 flood claims since 2011

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

Paid flood claims, by year
2011: 18 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 0 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 0 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 2 claims2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 20 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims201120192023
20112026
Biggest named events
  • The Vermont/New York Flooding19 claims · $2.8M
  • Hurricane Irene18 claims · $1.2M
40
paid claims since 2011
$4.0M
paid to owners
1
homes flooded more than once
$101K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Ludlow isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Windsor County.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Ludlow

Disasters that paid out in Ludlow itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Village of Ludlow), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2023Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides184 households applied for aid$830K aid approved$648K to the Village of Ludlow for repairs20 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2011Tropical Storm Irene160 households applied for aid$587K aid approved$213K to the Village of Ludlow for repairs18 flood claims paid for it, $1.2M
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in LudlowWindsor County only

Windsor County has had 24 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods.

Were you here?

Old photos of Ludlow after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Ludlow archive →
Be ready

Get ready for what Ludlow faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Ludlow

Does Ludlow flood?

Flood insurance has paid 40 claims in Ludlow since 2011, $4.0M in all. 1 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Vermont/New York Flooding (19).

Is Ludlow in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Windsor County, 28% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 1.9% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Ludlow?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Ludlow’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Ludlow?

By FEMA money that reached Ludlow, Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (2023): 184 households applied for aid, $830K approved, and $648K to the Village of Ludlow for repairs. By flood claims, Vermont/New York Flooding: 19 paid, $2.8M.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Ludlow.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Ludlow’s residents lived in the 2020 census; 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. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.