Orange County Disaster Risk

Orange County has a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low, placing it in the 26th percentile nationally out of 3,144 counties. This composite score reflects the county's overall exposure to natural hazards including floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and hurricanes, weighted by expected annual loss and social vulnerability.

Orange County is evaluated for five major natural hazard types: hurricane (65th percentile), flooding (50th percentile), earthquake (38th percentile), wildfire (17th percentile), tornado (13th percentile). The highest-risk hazard is hurricane at the 65th percentile nationally. These scores are derived from FEMA's National Risk Index, which analyzes expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience for each hazard type.

Orange County's composite risk percentile is 26th, compared to the Vermont state average of 36th percentile. The state's overall risk rating is Very Low. This means Orange County faces lower natural disaster risk than the typical county in Vermont.

Yes, Orange County's hurricane risk is at the 65th percentile nationally. This is above the national median. For flooding specifically, Orange County is at the 50th percentile.

FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) calculates risk scores for 18 natural hazard types across all U.S. counties and census tracts. The composite score combines Expected Annual Loss (estimated dollar losses from each hazard), Social Vulnerability (demographic factors affecting disaster impact), and Community Resilience (ability to recover). Percentile scores rank each county against all 3,144 U.S. counties, and risk ratings range from Very Low to Very High.

Orange County's composite risk score of 26th percentile is below the Vermont state average of 36th percentile, indicating relatively lower exposure to natural hazards. However, no county is completely risk-free. The primary hazard type is hurricane at the 65th percentile. Residents should still maintain emergency preparedness plans and appropriate insurance coverage.