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Natural hazards · Strafford

Strafford, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Strafford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1996. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Strafford?

37
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Strafford to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Hurricanes6%Everything else23%
By hazard

What Strafford faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce 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 Strafford flood?

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

1paid claims since 1996
$775paid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19962026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Strafford isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Strafford County.
Disasters that hit Strafford

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into StraffordDeclared for Strafford County only
2015

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$8K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm

$7K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2008

Severe Winter Storm

$44K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Tornado, and Flooding

$33K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $99K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $7K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$10K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2003

Snow

$7K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
2001

Snow

$10K to the Town of Strafford for repairs
Strafford County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Strafford

Strafford and the towns around it

Farmington: High, mostly inland floodingBarnstead: High, mostly inland floodingBarrington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthwood: Very low, mostly inland floodingRochester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPittsfield: High, mostly inland floodingMilton: Low, mostly inland floodingNew Durham: Low, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGilmanton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNottingham: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMadbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDeerfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLebanon: Low, mostly inland floodingBerwick: Low, mostly inland floodingDover: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChichester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEpsom: High, mostly inland floodingStrafford: Low, mostly inland flooding StraffordFarmingtonBarnsteadBarringtonNorthwoodRochesterPittsfield
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Farmingtonmostly inland floodingHigh
Pittsfieldmostly inland floodingHigh
Barnsteadmostly inland floodingHigh
Barringtonmostly inland floodingModerate
Rochestermostly 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. Strafford covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Strafford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Strafford. 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 Strafford total about $777K 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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