Natural hazards · New Castle

New Castle, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in New Castle comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 32 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is New Castle?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in New Castle to be higher than in 11% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding65%Earthquakes8%Coastal flooding7%Cold waves5%Everything else15%

By hazard

What New Castle faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

65% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 12% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does New Castle flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in New Castle, from FEMA’s records.

32paid claims since 1978

$430Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 6 claims, $42K
Hurricane Floyd: 4 claims, $7K
Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $67K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. New Castle is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: New Castle County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit New Castle

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in New Castle itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of New Castle.

Brought FEMA money into New CastleDeclared for New Castle County only

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$12K to the City of New Castle for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

17 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$8K to the City of New Castle for repairs

New Castle County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. New Castle covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to New Castle’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of New Castle. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across New Castle total about $2.6M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.