Natural hazards · Chatham

Chatham, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chatham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chatham?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chatham to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding74%Hurricanes15%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Chatham faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 Chatham flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Chatham.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Chatham isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Carroll County.

Disasters that hit Chatham

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChathamDeclared for Carroll County only

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

2 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $10K to the Town of Chatham for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$59K to the Town of Chatham for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$2K to the Town of Chatham for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$894 to the Town of Chatham for repairs

Carroll County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Chatham

Chatham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jacksonmostly inland floodingVery high

Bartlettmostly inland floodingVery high

Conwaymostly inland floodingHigh

Chathammostly inland floodingHigh

Fryeburgmostly inland floodingModerate

Stowmostly 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. Chatham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chatham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Chatham. 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 Chatham total about $1.9M 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.