Natural hazards · Bedford

Bedford, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bedford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bedford?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bedford to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Hurricanes8%Earthquakes6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Bedford faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bedford flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978

$616Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 7 claims, $227K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 4 claims, $57K
Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $73K

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

No community discount. Bedford isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Westchester County.

Disasters that hit Bedford

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BedfordDeclared for Westchester County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$90K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

32 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $317K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$677K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

39 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $1.0M to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

8 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $459K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$232K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

16 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $276K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2003

Snow

$127K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$707K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

Westchester County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Bedford

Bedford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mount Kiscomostly inland floodingLow

Bedfordmostly inland floodingLow

North Castlemostly inland floodingVery low

Somersmostly inland floodingVery low

Lewisboromostly inland floodingVery low

New Castlemostly inland floodingVery low

Pound Ridgemostly inland floodingVery low

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. Bedford covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bedford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bedford. 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 Bedford total about $6.1M 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.