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Natural hazards · Gorham

Gorham, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gorham comes from avalanches, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1982. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Gorham?

83
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gorham to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from avalanches and inland flooding.

Avalanches59%Inland flooding31%Cold waves6%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Gorham faces

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

Avalanches

59% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 0% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Gorham flood?

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

18paid claims since 1982
$160Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19822026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $22K
  • December Nor'easter: 1 claim, $14K

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. Gorham isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Coos County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Gorham

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GorhamDeclared for Coos County only
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$319K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

$5K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2017

Severe Storms and Flooding

$307K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$28K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$576K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$1K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm

$22K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$25K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$32K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2003

Snow

$1K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
2001

Snow

$17K to the Town of Gorham for repairs
Coos County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Gorham

Gorham and the towns around it

Berlin: High, mostly avalanchesRandolph: High, mostly avalanchesShelburne: Very high, mostly avalanchesMilan: Very high, mostly avalanchesJefferson: High, mostly avalanchesGorham: Very high, mostly avalanches GorhamBerlinRandolphShelburne
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Gorhammostly avalanchesVery high
Shelburnemostly avalanchesVery high
Randolphmostly avalanchesHigh
Berlinmostly avalanchesHigh
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. Gorham is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gorham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Gorham. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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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