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Natural hazards · Gilford

Gilford, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gilford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1998. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Gilford?

32
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gilford to be higher than in 32% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding65%Lightning9%Hurricanes9%Everything else17%
By hazard

What Gilford faces

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

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lightning

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

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 Gilford flood?

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

4paid claims since 1998
$63Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19982026
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Gilford 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 Gilford

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GilfordDeclared for Belknap County only
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$152K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$18K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm

$24K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $50K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $9K aid approved $20K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $103K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$15K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
2003

Snow

$21K to the Town of Gilford for repairs
Belknap County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Gilford

Gilford and the towns around it

Meredith: Low, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLaconia: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBelmont: High, mostly inland floodingGilmanton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCenter Harbor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSanbornton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Hampton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingTuftonboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Durham: Low, mostly inland floodingWolfeboro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarnstead: High, mostly inland floodingFarmington: High, mostly inland floodingTilton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthfield: High, mostly inland floodingLoudon: High, mostly inland floodingGilford: Low, mostly inland flooding GilfordMeredithAltonLaconiaBelmontGilmanton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Belmontmostly inland floodingHigh
Altonmostly inland floodingModerate
Laconiamostly inland floodingModerate
Gilmantonmostly inland floodingModerate
Meredithmostly 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. Gilford covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gilford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Gilford. 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 Gilford total about $2.8M 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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