Natural hazards · Walpole

Walpole, NH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walpole comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Walpole?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walpole to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding74%Hurricanes6%Cold waves5%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Walpole faces

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

Inland flooding

74% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 17 years in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

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 Walpole flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Walpole.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Walpole isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Cheshire County.

Disasters that hit Walpole

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WalpoleDeclared for Cheshire County only

2021

Severe Storm and Flooding

$406K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$88K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2013

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$24K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2012

Severe Storm and Flooding

$33K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$34K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $57K aid approved $460K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2005

Record Snow

$23K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$8K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2003

Snow

$18K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2003

Severe Storms and Flooding

$9K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

2001

Snow

$7K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

1999

Tropical Storm Floyd

$9K to the Town of Walpole for repairs

Cheshire County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Walpole

Walpole and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bellows Fallsmostly inland floodingHigh

Alsteadmostly inland floodingHigh

Rockinghammostly inland floodingHigh

Langdonmostly inland floodingHigh

Walpolemostly inland floodingModerate

Westmorelandmostly inland floodingModerate

Westminstermostly 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. Walpole covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walpole’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Walpole. 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 Walpole total about $1.2M 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.