Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Rockingham County, New Hampshire has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 86% of US counties. It ranks 2nd of 10 counties in New Hampshire. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, coastal flooding and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $90 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $286 per resident. Since 1972 it has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (23 major disasters). The most recent was in July 2024 (severe winter storm and flooding). About 1 in 45 homes here carry federal flood insurance (2,047 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $31 million on 2,165 claims here, including $10 million for floods in 2024.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Rockingham County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 89.1 | $54M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 92.8 | $12M | ||
| Earthquake | 87.5 | $5M | ||
| Hurricane | 83.8 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 73.5 | $4M | ||
| Cold wave | 57.4 | $2M | ||
| Ice storm | 91.3 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 72.5 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 77.1 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 65.0 | $1M | ||
| Lightning | 74.8 | $911K | ||
| Hail | 35.5 | $226K | ||
| Winter weather | 65.6 | $169K | ||
| Wildfire | 47.8 | $64K | ||
| Landslide | 72.0 | $11K | ||
| Avalanche | 4.4 | $3 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Rockingham County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 33
New Hampshire also had 1 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1951
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 546 storm reports in Rockingham County since 1951, with 5 deaths and 50 injuries and about $20.4 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on June 9, 1953.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 1953 | F3 | – | 5 / 0 |
| Jul 24, 2008 | EF2 | Leavitts Hill | 2 / 1 |
| Jul 2, 1961 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Jun 19, 1957 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| May 21, 2006 | F2 | Hampton Falls | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20, 1996 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $5M |
| Feb 25, 2010 | Flood | New Castle | $4M |
| May 13, 2006 | Flood | Countywide | $4M |
| Mar 14, 2010 | Flood | New Castle | $1M |
| Apr 16, 2007 | Flood | Epping | $1M |
| Jul 24, 2008 | Tornado | Leavitts Hill | $840K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1858, 5 hurricanes and 19 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Rockingham County, 9 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1869, with top winds near 105 mph about 63 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 1869 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 4, 1869 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 19, 1991 | Bob | Category 1, 90 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 75 mph | 40 mi |
| Sep 12, 1960 | Donna | Category 1, 75 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 15, 1944 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 50 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 1999 | Floyd | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
| Jul 14, 1996 | Bertha | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 42 mi |
| Aug 19, 1991 | Bob | Category 1, 90 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 75 mph | 40 mi |
| Aug 28, 1971 | Doria | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 26, 1961 | Esther | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 56 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Rockingham County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Rockingham County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 137,794 housing units.
Compare in New Hampshire
All 10 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County | Inland flooding | |
| Rockingham County | Inland flooding | |
| Merrimack County | Inland flooding | |
| Strafford County | Inland flooding | |
| Grafton County | Inland flooding | |
| Cheshire County | Inland flooding | |
| Belknap County | Inland flooding | |
| Carroll County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Essex County, MA | 36 | |
| Hillsborough County | 29 | |
| York County, ME | 38 | |
| Merrimack County | 27 | |
| Strafford County | 23 |
Common questions about Rockingham County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Rockingham County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Rockingham County, about $54 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Coastal flooding is second at $12.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Rockingham County had?
Rockingham County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1972, including 23 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm and Flooding in July 2024.
Is Rockingham County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 2nd highest of 10 in New Hampshire. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Rockingham County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 45 homes in Rockingham County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Rockingham County had?
NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Rockingham County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on June 9, 1953. The weather service has also logged 172 hail reports and 33 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Rockingham County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 19 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Rockingham County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1869, with winds near 105 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.