Grafton County, NH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Grafton County has experienced 40 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Grafton County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, winter weather, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 139 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. Grafton County has been designated in 40 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (17), flood (8), hurricane (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 40 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 | 30.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | 106 | 0 | $18.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 69.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 44.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 24.4 | 3 | 0 | $80K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 19.2 | 31 | 0 | $7K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 93.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 54.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 74.1 | — | — | — |
| 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
Grafton County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 21st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 33rd | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 70th | 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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 139 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 67 in 2016–20 vs 72 in 2021–25 (+7% — relatively stable).
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 Grafton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Grafton County, New Hampshire are landslide, winter weather, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Grafton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Grafton County has received 40 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Grafton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Grafton County include Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms And Flooding (2024), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024), Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Grafton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Merrimack County, NH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Orange County, VT has the lowest (Very Low). Grafton County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Grafton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Grafton 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. Grafton County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.