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Natural hazards · Keene

Keene, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Keene comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 122 claims here since 1981. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Keene?

68
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Keene to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Everything else21%
By hazard

What Keene faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Keene flood?

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

122paid claims since 1981
$5.6Mpaid to owners
15homes flooded more than once
19812026

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. Keene is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Cheshire County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

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

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into KeeneDeclared for Cheshire County only
2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$238K to the City of Keene for repairs
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$44K to the City of Keene for repairs
2012

Severe Storm and Flooding

$835K to the City of Keene for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the City of Keene for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

227 households applied for aid $238K aid approved $482K to the City of Keene for repairs
2005

Record Snow

$32K to the City of Keene for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$28K to the City of Keene for repairs
2003

Snow

$44K to the City of Keene for repairs
2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

$41K to the City of Keene for repairs
2001

Snow

$23K to the City of Keene for repairs
Cheshire County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Keene

Keene and the towns around it

Roxbury: High, mostly inland floodingSwanzey: High, mostly inland floodingWestmoreland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSullivan: High, mostly inland floodingSurry: High, mostly inland floodingGilsum: High, mostly inland floodingMarlborough: High, mostly inland floodingHarrisville: Low, mostly inland floodingNelson: High, mostly inland floodingTroy: High, mostly inland floodingWinchester: Very high, mostly inland floodingRichmond: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChesterfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPutney: Low, mostly inland floodingDummerston: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWalpole: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWestminster: Low, mostly inland floodingStoddard: High, mostly inland floodingAlstead: High, mostly inland floodingMarlow: High, mostly inland floodingDublin: Low, mostly inland floodingJaffrey: Moderate, mostly inland floodingKeene: High, mostly inland flooding KeeneRoxburySwanzeyWestmorelandSullivanSurryGilsumMarlborough
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Swanzeymostly inland floodingHigh
Marlboroughmostly inland floodingHigh
Keenemostly inland floodingHigh
Surrymostly inland floodingHigh
Gilsummostly inland floodingHigh
Roxburymostly inland floodingHigh
Sullivanmostly inland floodingHigh
Westmorelandmostly 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. Keene covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Keene’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Keene. 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 Keene total about $9.7M 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/18 · 2025-01-01
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