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Vermont rankings · Hazard risk

Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk in Vermont

Rutland ranks first on hazard risk among Vermont’s 71 towns of 2,500+; 23 of the 71 grade A− or better on hazard risk nationally.

The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). How grades work

#3

Middlebury

Addison County · 9,208 people
A

Hazard risk grade, better than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #22 of 71 in VT

All 71 towns

Hazard risk grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 4 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

71 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1RutlandRutland County · 3,869 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #63 of 71
2South BurlingtonChittenden County · 21,394 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #26 of 71
3MiddleburyAddison County · 9,208 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #22 of 71
4ColchesterChittenden County · 17,565 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #16 of 71
5East MontpelierWashington County · 2,594 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #11 of 71
6WillistonChittenden County · 9,975 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #25 of 71
7EssexChittenden County · 11,346 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #13 of 71
8Fair HavenRutland County · 2,676 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 71
9St. AlbansFranklin County · 6,939 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #65 of 71
10RutlandRutland County · 15,363 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #68 of 71
T11HinesburgChittenden County · 4,675 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #3 of 71
T11ShelburneChittenden County · 8,133 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #9 of 71
13JerichoChittenden County · 5,056 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 71
14VergennesAddison County · 2,559 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #19 of 71
15Hyde ParkLamoille County · 2,958 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #47 of 71
16MorristownLamoille County · 6,129 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #27 of 71
17CharlotteChittenden County · 3,846 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 71
18NewportOrleans County · 2,583 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #55 of 71
19Essex JunctionChittenden County · 10,921 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 71
20CastletonRutland County · 4,411 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #15 of 71
21ShaftsburyBennington County · 3,558 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #50 of 71
22MiltonChittenden County · 10,646 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #32 of 71
23GeorgiaFranklin County · 4,906 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #31 of 71
24FerrisburghAddison County · 2,677 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #29 of 71
25PutneyWindham County · 2,575 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #42 of 71
26RandolphOrange County · 4,958 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #14 of 71
27HighgateFranklin County · 3,575 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #35 of 71
28DerbyOrleans County · 4,456 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #57 of 71
29BurlingtonChittenden County · 44,019 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 71
30PittsfordRutland County · 2,859 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #40 of 71
31NewportOrleans County · 4,274 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #69 of 71
32SwantonFranklin County · 6,894 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #37 of 71
33HartlandWindsor County · 3,398 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #52 of 71
34HartfordWindsor County · 10,911 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #28 of 71
35ManchesterBennington County · 4,413 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #36 of 71
36BradfordOrange County · 2,834 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 71
37BristolAddison County · 3,759 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 71
38BrandonRutland County · 4,173 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #58 of 71
39WilliamstownOrange County · 3,576 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #59 of 71
40WestminsterWindham County · 2,932 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #51 of 71
41St. JohnsburyCaledonia County · 7,354 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #60 of 71
42UnderhillChittenden County · 3,071 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #24 of 71
43StoweLamoille County · 5,325 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #23 of 71
44FairfaxFranklin County · 5,455 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #12 of 71
45SpringfieldWindsor County · 8,881 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #56 of 71
46PoultneyRutland County · 2,962 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #45 of 71
47WeathersfieldWindsor County · 2,809 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #17 of 71
48JohnsonLamoille County · 3,369 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #53 of 71
49LyndonCaledonia County · 5,628 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #46 of 71
50PownalBennington County · 3,219 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #67 of 71
51BerlinWashington County · 2,948 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #48 of 71
52BrattleboroWindham County · 11,872 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #66 of 71
53BenningtonBennington County · 14,953 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #70 of 71
54WaterburyWashington County · 5,434 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #10 of 71
55NorthfieldWashington County · 5,873 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #34 of 71
56WindsorWindsor County · 3,464 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #38 of 71
57RoyaltonWindsor County · 2,692 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #20 of 71
58EnosburghFranklin County · 2,780 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #39 of 71
59WinooskiChittenden County · 8,239 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #61 of 71
T60CambridgeLamoille County · 3,666 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #54 of 71
T60ThetfordOrange County · 2,863 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #33 of 71
62HardwickCaledonia County · 2,950 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #49 of 71
63NorwichWindsor County · 3,577 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 71
64MontpelierWashington County · 7,823 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #30 of 71
65WoodstockWindsor County · 2,970 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #21 of 71
66RockinghamWindham County · 4,697 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #62 of 71
67Bellows FallsWindham County · 2,706 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #64 of 71
68ChesterWindsor County · 2,955 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #18 of 71
69RichmondChittenden County · 4,103 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 71
70BartonOrleans County · 2,732 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #41 of 71
71BarreWashington County · 8,214 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #71 of 71
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Vermont town has the lowest natural-hazard risk?

Rutland (Rutland County) ranks first on hazard risk among 71 towns, with an A+; South Burlington and Middlebury follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a hazard risk grade (71 in Vermont). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Vermont page.

Go deeper

More Vermont lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Vermont rankings →
Best places to live71 towns · #1 NorwichBest small towns61 towns · #1 NorwichMost affordable towns71 towns · #1 EnosburghSafest towns38 towns · #1 CastletonTowns with the best schools71 towns · #1 NorwichHealthiest towns71 towns · #1 NorwichBest towns for jobs & income71 towns · #1 JerichoMost walkable towns71 towns · #1 BurlingtonBest towns for the outdoors71 towns · #1 BurlingtonMost historic towns71 towns · #1 Bellows FallsTowns with the most civic life71 towns · #1 MontpelierTowns with the least snow71 towns · #1 ColchesterDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns71 towns · #1 LyndonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters84 towns · #1 VernonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers84 towns · #1 VernonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers84 towns · #1 Arlington and BartonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes71 towns · #1 CharlotteDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes70 towns · #1 CastletonDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns70 towns · #1 MorristownDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries43 towns · #1 WoodstockDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk in other states

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