Rockingham County, NH
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rockingham County has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1972, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Rockingham County's highest-rated hazards are coastal flooding, ice storm, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 86% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (2nd 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. Rockingham County has been designated in 35 declarations since 1972, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (12), snowstorm (6), flood (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2018 | Coastal Storm | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2015 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 total declarations since 1972.
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 | 47.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.1 | 9 | 0 | $250K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 92.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.5 | 3 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.5 | 30 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 91.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 57.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 74.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 77.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 4.4 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Rockingham County ranks in the 2nd 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 | 2nd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 6th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 27th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 12th | 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 | 15th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 18th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 40 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 26 in 2021–25 (+86% — 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 Rockingham County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rockingham County, New Hampshire are coastal flooding, ice storm, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Rockingham County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rockingham County has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1972, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Rockingham County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rockingham County include Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (2024), Severe Storms And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1972.
How does Rockingham County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Middlesex County, MA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Strafford County, NH has the lowest (Relatively Low). Rockingham County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Rockingham County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rockingham 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. Rockingham County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.