Natural hazards · Ashland

Ashland, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ashland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2006. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ashland?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ashland to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Ashland faces

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

Inland flooding

89% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Ashland flood?

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

6paid claims since 2006

$133Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20062026

Biggest named events

December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $15K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $23K

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

Insurance rates: Grafton County.

Disasters that hit Ashland

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AshlandDeclared for Grafton County only

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$7K to the Town of Ashland for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Ashland for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$6K to the Town of Ashland for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$4K to the Town of Ashland for repairs

2001

Snow

$2K to the Town of Ashland for repairs

Grafton County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Ashland

Ashland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ashlandmostly inland floodingVery high

Bridgewatermostly inland floodingHigh

Holdernessmostly inland floodingHigh

Plymouthmostly inland floodingHigh

New Hamptonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Ashland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ashland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Ashland. 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 Ashland total about $1.3M 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.