Belknap County, NH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Belknap County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Winter Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Belknap County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, ice storm, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 23 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (15th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Belknap County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (13), hurricane (6), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1973.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 25.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 70.3 | 13 | 0 | $120K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 59.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 42.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 31.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 78.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15.6 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 37.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 75.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 32.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 94.8 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 34.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 71.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 16.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Belknap County ranks in the 15th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 15th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 20th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 11th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 22nd | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 10th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 10th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 72.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 23 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 7 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 .
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Belknap County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Belknap County, New Hampshire are lightning, ice storm, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Belknap County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Belknap County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Belknap County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Belknap County include Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Belknap County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Rockingham County, NH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Strafford County, NH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Belknap County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Belknap County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Belknap County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Belknap County's composite score of 57 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 57% of US counties.