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Natural hazards · Alton

Alton, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1981. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations
Expected damage

How exposed is Alton?

51
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alton to be higher than in 51% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Hurricanes13%Lightning9%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Alton faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

13% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lightning

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong wind

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
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 Alton flood?

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

4paid claims since 1981
$32Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19812026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Alton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Belknap County.
Disasters that hit Alton

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Alton itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Alton.

Brought FEMA money into AltonDeclared for Belknap County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$536K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$225K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$65K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$26K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$5K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$77K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm

$38K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$129K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $655K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $105K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $31K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$14K to the Town of Alton for repairs
2003

Snow

$17K to the Town of Alton for repairs
Belknap County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Alton

Alton and the towns around it

Gilford: Low, mostly inland floodingTuftonboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Durham: Low, mostly inland floodingWolfeboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarnstead: High, mostly inland floodingGilmanton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFarmington: High, mostly inland floodingMeredith: Low, mostly inland floodingLaconia: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBelmont: High, mostly inland floodingMoultonborough: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOssipee: High, mostly inland floodingBrookfield: High, mostly inland floodingPittsfield: High, mostly inland floodingStrafford: Low, mostly inland floodingLoudon: High, mostly inland floodingMilton: Low, mostly inland floodingRochester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland flooding AltonGilfordTuftonboroNew DurhamWolfeboroBarnsteadGilmantonFarmington
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Farmingtonmostly inland floodingHigh
Barnsteadmostly inland floodingHigh
Tuftonboromostly inland floodingModerate
Altonmostly inland floodingModerate
Gilmantonmostly inland floodingModerate
Wolfeboromostly inland floodingModerate
New Durhammostly inland floodingLow
Gilfordmostly inland floodingLow
About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.
Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Alton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Alton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Alton total about $2.4M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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