Pennsylvania flood insurance and flood history
From FEMA's flood insurance and disaster data · Updated 2026-10-08
FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data lists 77,060 flood insurance claims in Pennsylvania since 1978. The NFIP paid $1.4 billion on them (building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments, in the dollars of the year paid).
The year with the most claims was 1996, with 11,075, mostly from Flooding.
In the last ten years (2017–2026) there were 8,315 claims, and the average paid claim was $40,512.
29% of the claims with a recorded flood zone came from buildings outside FEMA's high-risk zones (rated zones B, C and X).
About 0.7% of homes in Pennsylvania had an NFIP flood policy in FEMA's latest count (31,965 of 4,599,973 residential buildings). In the high-risk flood zones (Special Flood Hazard Areas), it was 23% (21,245 of 92,246).
Since 2000, FEMA has made 15 flood-related disaster declarations covering parts of Pennsylvania. The most recent was DR-4815-PA (Tropical Storm Debby), declared September 11, 2024.
Flood insurance claims in Pennsylvania by year
Show as a table
| Year | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 174 | $1.4 million |
| 2025 | 206 | $6.0 million |
| 2024 | 589 | $16.7 million |
| 2023 | 299 | $9.3 million |
| 2022 | 114 | $1.8 million |
| 2021 | 2,247 | $117.1 million |
| 2020 | 1,302 | $44.1 million |
| 2019 | 707 | $20.2 million |
| 2018 | 2,145 | $50.4 million |
| 2017 | 532 | $10.1 million |
| 2016 | 292 | $4.9 million |
| 2015 | 253 | $2.5 million |
| 2014 | 713 | $17.0 million |
| 2013 | 782 | $12.7 million |
| 2012 | 398 | $3.8 million |
| 2011 | 10,592 | $356.3 million |
| 2010 | 1,410 | $19.8 million |
| 2009 | 686 | $14.4 million |
| 2008 | 224 | $1.7 million |
| 2007 | 509 | $4.5 million |
| 2006 | 4,281 | $126.3 million |
| 2005 | 2,116 | $61.0 million |
| 2004 | 10,120 | $210.7 million |
| 2003 | 1,094 | $10.4 million |
| 2002 | 138 | $905,537 |
| 2001 | 689 | $26.1 million |
| 2000 | 631 | $7.0 million |
| 1999 | 2,581 | $63.4 million |
| 1998 | 220 | $750,233 |
| 1997 | 452 | $3.5 million |
| 1996 | 11,075 | $138.3 million |
| 1995 | 212 | $1.1 million |
| 1994 | 855 | $5.7 million |
| 1993 | 1,238 | $7.9 million |
| 1992 | 168 | $1.3 million |
| 1991 | 176 | $1.4 million |
| 1990 | 414 | $2.0 million |
| 1989 | 564 | $3.4 million |
| 1988 | 144 | $578,182 |
| 1987 | 618 | $3.8 million |
| 1986 | 616 | $2.8 million |
| 1985 | 1,177 | $6.8 million |
| 1984 | 2,726 | $10.1 million |
| 1983 | 1,311 | $4.4 million |
| 1982 | 737 | $6.2 million |
| 1981 | 1,168 | $3.5 million |
| 1980 | 738 | $2.1 million |
| 1979 | 4,577 | $12.0 million |
| 1978 | 2,050 | $4.9 million |
Biggest flood events by NFIP payments
The flood events FEMA's claims data names most often for Pennsylvania, ranked by what the NFIP paid. FEMA names events in its claims records; claims without an event name aren't included here.
| Event | Year | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Lee | 2011 | 7,866 | $302.7 million |
| Tropical Storm Ivan | 2004 | 8,147 | $183.1 million |
| Flooding | 1996 | 9,654 | $121.4 million |
| Hurricane Ida | 2021 | 1,809 | $108.0 million |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999 | 1,759 | $54.3 million |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020 | 1,086 | $39.9 million |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011 | 1,476 | $39.8 million |
| Tropical Storm Allison | 2001 | 548 | $25.1 million |
| Mid-spring storms | 2014 | 356 | $10.7 million |
| Torrential rain | 2005 | 282 | $9.1 million |
What flood insurance costs in Pennsylvania
On June 30, 2026, 41,846 NFIP flood insurance policies were in force in Pennsylvania. For the 28,132 single-family homes among them, the typical (median) yearly cost was about $1,210; the average was $1,480.
| Rated flood zone | Policies | Typical yearly cost, single-family home | Average cost | Average building coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-risk zones (A and V) | 28,131 | $1,440 | $1,730 | $157,000 |
| Moderate- and low-risk zones (B, C and X) | 13,714 | $1,010 | $990 | $205,000 |
Cost here is what FEMA's data lists as the policy cost: the premium plus the reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge. It covers single-family homes only (not condos, apartments or businesses), with costs rounded to the nearest $10 and shown only where at least 20 homes back the figure. Your own price depends on your building and the coverage you choose; see how flood insurance is priced. Private flood insurance isn't included.
Policies and average cost by exact flood zone
Flood history by county
Every Pennsylvania county in FEMA's data, sorted by number of NFIP claims since 1978. "Insured" is the share of homes with an NFIP policy; "typical NFIP cost" is the median yearly cost for single-family homes.
| County | Claims | Paid | Insured | Typical NFIP cost | Flood declarations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 6,200 | $185.3 million | 0.9% | $1,160 | 6 |
| Bucks County | 5,260 | $149.8 million | 1.2% | $1,240 | 6 |
| Dauphin County | 5,248 | $86.1 million | 1.2% | $1,540 | 4 |
| Allegheny County | 4,832 | $81.6 million | 0.4% | $1,240 | 2 |
| Luzerne County | 4,147 | $93.9 million | 3.3% | $1,190 | 6 |
| Lycoming County | 3,878 | $58.3 million | 1.7% | $1,410 | 7 |
| Delaware County | 3,034 | $57.2 million | 0.7% | $1,060 | 4 |
| Columbia County | 2,200 | $63.2 million | 1.9% | $1,260 | 6 |
| Lancaster County | 2,106 | $32.8 million | 0.4% | $1,360 | 4 |
| Chester County | 1,914 | $37.6 million | 0.6% | $1,140 | 5 |
| York County | 1,753 | $20.7 million | 0.5% | $1,360 | 3 |
| Northumberland County | 1,721 | $24.2 million | 1.0% | $1,190 | 4 |
| Philadelphia County | 1,700 | $47.6 million | 0.3% | $960 | 4 |
| Westmoreland County | 1,612 | $21.6 million | 0.5% | $1,210 | 1 |
| Cumberland County | 1,600 | $16.9 million | 0.7% | $1,340 | 3 |
| Northampton County | 1,561 | $48.4 million | 0.6% | $1,490 | 6 |
| Lackawanna County | 1,369 | $20.5 million | 1.2% | $1,160 | 8 |
| Berks County | 1,313 | $23.6 million | 0.5% | $1,190 | 6 |
| Wyoming County | 1,189 | $28.6 million | 1.6% | $1,660 | 10 |
| Bedford County | 1,185 | $13.4 million | 0.9% | $1,540 | 3 |
| Washington County | 1,131 | $21.1 million | 0.5% | $1,490 | 1 |
| Blair County | 1,117 | $8.5 million | 1.1% | $990 | 3 |
| Schuylkill County | 1,041 | $26.3 million | 1.0% | $1,240 | 6 |
| Lebanon County | 1,005 | $15.9 million | 0.4% | $1,190 | 4 |
| Lehigh County | 967 | $12.4 million | 0.4% | $1,290 | 2 |
| Union County | 927 | $11.8 million | 2.0% | $1,460 | 4 |
| Clinton County | 911 | $8.2 million | 2.2% | $1,440 | 3 |
| Snyder County | 904 | $12.4 million | 1.4% | $1,290 | 3 |
| Bradford County | 898 | $24.8 million | 1.6% | $1,210 | 10 |
| Butler County | 874 | $15.4 million | 0.5% | $1,210 | 1 |
| Beaver County | 832 | $13.7 million | 0.3% | $1,240 | 1 |
| Cambria County | 802 | $3.2 million | 0.6% | $1,040 | 3 |
| Perry County | 749 | $7.4 million | 0.9% | $1,410 | 4 |
| Fayette County | 722 | $10.1 million | 0.3% | $1,260 | 2 |
| Clearfield County | 537 | $5.9 million | 0.6% | $1,110 | 3 |
| Huntingdon County | 531 | $8.8 million | 1.3% | $1,010 | 4 |
| Erie County | 512 | $6.0 million | 0.3% | $1,060 | 1 |
| Susquehanna County | 506 | $13.4 million | 1.1% | $1,410 | 9 |
| Mifflin County | 487 | $3.9 million | 0.8% | $1,490 | 3 |
| Armstrong County | 437 | $6.2 million | 0.7% | $1,540 | 2 |
| Monroe County | 436 | $14.8 million | 0.5% | $1,110 | 5 |
| Venango County | 429 | $5.9 million | 0.4% | $1,210 | 3 |
| Adams County | 400 | $6.7 million | 0.7% | $1,240 | 4 |
| Somerset County | 395 | $2.6 million | 0.9% | $1,290 | 2 |
| Indiana County | 387 | $2.4 million | 0.5% | $940 | 3 |
| Jefferson County | 373 | $7.7 million | 0.4% | $1,210 | 2 |
| Centre County | 339 | $3.0 million | 0.5% | $1,210 | 4 |
| Crawford County | 330 | $1.7 million | 0.7% | $1,240 | 3 |
| Elk County | 322 | $8.3 million | 0.4% | $1,310 | 2 |
| Greene County | 265 | $3.5 million | 0.7% | $1,710 | 1 |
| Tioga County | 234 | $3.5 million | 1.3% | $1,410 | 8 |
| Wayne County | 221 | $4.7 million | 0.5% | $1,310 | 8 |
| Pike County | 219 | $3.0 million | 0.4% | $1,240 | 3 |
| Lawrence County | 207 | $2.0 million | 0.3% | $1,460 | 3 |
| Clarion County | 189 | $2.9 million | 0.3% | $1,260 | 2 |
| Franklin County | 188 | $1.1 million | 0.4% | $1,190 | 3 |
| Juniata County | 178 | $1.1 million | 0.6% | $1,340 | 3 |
| McKean County | 158 | $1.0 million | 1.1% | $1,160 | 2 |
| Montour County | 154 | $3.2 million | 1.0% | $1,140 | 5 |
| Sullivan County | 134 | $3.9 million | 1.0% | $1,360 | 10 |
| Warren County | 126 | $1.1 million | 0.7% | $1,310 | 2 |
| Mercer County | 120 | $880,001 | 0.1% | $1,010 | 2 |
| Carbon County | 94 | $450,788 | 0.5% | $1,110 | 3 |
| Potter County | 90 | $1.1 million | 1.3% | $1,190 | 3 |
| Cameron County | 73 | $531,939 | 1.7% | $1,010 | 2 |
| Fulton County | 16 | $362,846 | 0.3% | n/a | 2 |
| Forest County | 14 | $193,566 | 0.3% | n/a | 2 |
Flood-related FEMA disaster declarations in Pennsylvania
Declarations since 2000 that FEMA lists as involving flooding. "Help for individuals" means FEMA's Individual Assistance was approved for at least part of the area.
| Declaration | Declared | Event | Help for individuals |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR-4815-PA | Sep 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm Debby | Yes |
| DR-4408-PA | Nov 27, 2018 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-4292-PA | Dec 2, 2016 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-4149-PA | Oct 1, 2013 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | No |
| DR-4030-PA | Sep 12, 2011 | Tropical Storm Lee | Yes |
| EM-3340-PA | Sep 8, 2011 | Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee | No |
| DR-4003-PA | Jul 13, 2011 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-1684-PA | Feb 23, 2007 | Severe Storms and Flooding | No |
| DR-1649-PA | Jun 30, 2006 | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides | Yes |
| DR-1587-PA | Apr 14, 2005 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1555-PA | Sep 19, 2004 | Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances | Yes |
| DR-1538-PA | Aug 6, 2004 | Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1497-PA | Sep 26, 2003 | Tropical Storms Henri and Isabel and Related Severe Storms and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1485-PA | Aug 23, 2003 | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding | Yes |
| DR-1383-PA | Jun 21, 2001 | Tropical Storm Allison | Yes |
What to do with this
A county's history doesn't tell you your own building's risk. To see your property's flood zone, use FEMA's flood map lookup. To weigh coverage, start with do I need flood insurance? and what flood insurance costs.
Where these numbers come from
All figures on this page are calculated from FEMA's public OpenFEMA datasets:
- NFIP Redacted Claims (v3) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP claims since 1978, downloaded 2026-10-08. Dollar amounts are what the NFIP paid, not adjusted for inflation. Claims filed under private flood insurance aren't included.
- NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (v1) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP residential policy contracts in force (as of August 3, 2026) divided by FEMA's count of residential buildings from the National Structure Inventory. FEMA notes that inventory is incomplete in some counties, which can inflate the rate. Private flood policies aren't counted.
- NFIP Redacted Policies (v3) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): NFIP policies in force on June 30, 2026 (a policy counts if its term covers that date and it wasn't cancelled), downloaded 2026-10-08. Policy counts are FEMA's insured units, so a condominium association policy counts each unit. Costs are FEMA's "policy cost" (premium plus reserve fund assessment, federal policy fee and HFIAA surcharge) for single-family homes only. Policies FEMA's data doesn't place in a county count toward the state only.
- Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2) (FEMA (OpenFEMA)): disaster declarations, downloaded 2026-10-08. We count a declaration as flood-related when FEMA lists flooding (or a dam or levee break) as its incident type or a designated incident type, or the declaration's title mentions flooding.
FEMA's redacted claims data doesn't identify properties, and FEMA notes that some records lack a county or flood zone. See how we use the data.