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Natural hazards · Barnstead

Barnstead, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Barnstead comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1998. 14 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Barnstead?

62
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Barnstead to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding63%Hurricanes11%Lightning10%Everything else16%
By hazard

What Barnstead faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lightning

10% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Barnstead flood?

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

5paid claims since 1998
$61Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19982026

Biggest named events

  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Barnstead 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 Barnstead

14 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BarnsteadDeclared for Belknap County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$514K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$155K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2017

Severe Storm and Flooding

$36K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2017

Severe Winter Storm

$4K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$14K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$13K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm

$43K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$151K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

10 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $668K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $272 aid approved $93K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

$55K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$10K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
2003

Snow

$15K to the Town of Barnstead for repairs
Belknap County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Barnstead

Barnstead and the towns around it

Gilmanton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPittsfield: High, mostly inland floodingStrafford: Low, mostly inland floodingFarmington: High, mostly inland floodingBelmont: High, mostly inland floodingLoudon: High, mostly inland floodingGilford: Low, mostly inland floodingTuftonboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Durham: Low, mostly inland floodingWolfeboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChichester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEpsom: High, mostly inland floodingNorthwood: Very low, mostly inland floodingBarrington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRochester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMilton: Low, mostly inland floodingBarnstead: High, mostly inland flooding BarnsteadGilmantonAltonPittsfieldStraffordFarmington
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Farmingtonmostly inland floodingHigh
Pittsfieldmostly inland floodingHigh
Barnsteadmostly inland floodingHigh
Altonmostly inland floodingModerate
Gilmantonmostly inland floodingModerate
Straffordmostly 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. Barnstead covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Barnstead’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Barnstead. 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 Barnstead total about $1.7M 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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