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Natural hazards · Bristol

Bristol, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bristol comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1981. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bristol?

78
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bristol to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding83%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Bristol faces

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

Inland flooding

83% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bristol flood?

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

9paid claims since 1981
$80Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19812026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Bristol 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 Bristol

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BristolDeclared for Grafton County only
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$17K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2017

Severe Storms and Flooding

$37K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$4K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

3 households applied for aid $196 aid approved $3K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $20K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$45K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$4K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$4K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
2001

Snow

$8K to the Town of Bristol for repairs
Grafton County has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Bristol

Bristol and the towns around it

Bridgewater: High, mostly inland floodingNew Hampton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHill: Very high, mostly inland floodingAlexandria: Very high, mostly inland floodingAshland: Very high, mostly inland floodingPlymouth: High, mostly inland floodingCenter Harbor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMeredith: Low, mostly inland floodingSanbornton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDanbury: Very high, mostly inland floodingOrange: Very high, mostly inland floodingHebron: Very high, mostly inland floodingBristol: High, mostly inland flooding BristolBridgewaterNew HamptonHillAlexandria
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Alexandriamostly inland floodingVery high
Hillmostly inland floodingVery high
Bridgewatermostly inland floodingHigh
Bristolmostly 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. Bristol covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bristol’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bristol. 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 Bristol total about $1.4M 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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