Carroll County, NH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Carroll County has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Carroll County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, ice storm, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 77% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (14th 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. Carroll County has been designated in 35 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (13), flood (6), snowstorm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe 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 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 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 | 33.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 82 | 46 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.8 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 34.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 18.9 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 86.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 11.6 | 35 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 22.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 86.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 67.7 | — | — | — |
| 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
Carroll County ranks in the 14th 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 | 14th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 38th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 13th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 6th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | 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 | 85.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 83 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 30 in 2016–20 vs 53 in 2021–25 (+77% — frequency increasing).
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 Carroll County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Carroll County, New Hampshire are winter weather, ice storm, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Carroll County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Carroll County has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Carroll County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Carroll County include Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Carroll County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Grafton County, NH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Belknap County, NH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Carroll County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Carroll County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Carroll 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. Carroll County's composite score of 71 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 71% of US counties.