Natural hazards · Seaford

Seaford, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Seaford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Seaford?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Seaford to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding44%Cold waves20%Hurricanes20%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Seaford faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Seaford flood?

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

11paid claims since 1979

$257Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $64K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Seaford is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Sussex County.

Disasters that hit Seaford

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SeafordDeclared for Sussex County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$30K to the City of Seaford for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$31K to the City of Seaford for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$50K to the City of Seaford for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

$38K to the City of Seaford for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

19 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $36K to the City of Seaford for repairs

2003

Snow

$17K to the City of Seaford for repairs

Sussex County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

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. Seaford is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.