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Natural hazards · Pittsfield

Pittsfield, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pittsfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2006. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Pittsfield?

67
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pittsfield to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Hurricanes11%Everything else18%
By hazard

What Pittsfield faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Pittsfield flood?

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

7paid claims since 2006
$115Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
20062026

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

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

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PittsfieldDeclared for Merrimack County only
2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$3K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm

$6K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm

$14K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornado, and Flooding

$8K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $119K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $30K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$5K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2003

Snow

$14K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
2001

Snow

$8K to the Town of Pittsfield for repairs
Merrimack County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Pittsfield

Pittsfield and the towns around it

Chichester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarnstead: High, mostly inland floodingEpsom: High, mostly inland floodingNorthwood: Very low, mostly inland floodingStrafford: Low, mostly inland floodingLoudon: High, mostly inland floodingPembroke: High, mostly inland floodingGilmanton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFarmington: High, mostly inland floodingAllenstown: High, mostly inland floodingDeerfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNottingham: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBarrington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRochester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPittsfield: High, mostly inland flooding PittsfieldChichesterBarnsteadEpsomNorthwoodStrafford
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Epsommostly inland floodingHigh
Pittsfieldmostly inland floodingHigh
Barnsteadmostly inland floodingHigh
Chichestermostly inland floodingModerate
Straffordmostly inland floodingLow
Northwoodmostly inland floodingVery low
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. Pittsfield covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pittsfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Pittsfield. 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 Pittsfield total about $1.3M 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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