Coos County, NH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Coos County has experienced 28 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.
Coos County's highest-rated hazards are avalanche, winter weather, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 53% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Coos County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (6), hurricane (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe 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 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2017 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 | 16.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 77.6 | 55 | 0 | $1.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 49 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 12.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 10.6 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 77.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 6.1 | 24 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 22.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 52.4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very High | 97.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Coos County ranks in the 49th percentile (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 | 49th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 30th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 9th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 72nd | Moderate |
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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 67.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 81 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 32 in 2016–20 vs 49 in 2021–25 (+53% — 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 Coos County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Coos County, New Hampshire are avalanche, winter weather, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Coos County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Coos County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Coos County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Coos County include Severe Storm And Flooding (2024), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Coos County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Carroll County, NH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Essex County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Coos County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Coos County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Coos 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. Coos County's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.