Natural hazards · Bethlehem

Bethlehem, NY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bethlehem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 19 claims here since 1996. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bethlehem?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding64%Tornadoes12%Hurricanes7%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Bethlehem faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 19 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bethlehem flood?

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

19paid claims since 1996

$253Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $127K
Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $9K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 2 claims, $31K

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. Bethlehem isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Albany County.

Disasters that hit Bethlehem

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BethlehemDeclared for Albany County only

2017

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$83K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$2.9M to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

2008

Severe Winter Storm

$439K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$284K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

2003

Snow

$50K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

2002

Snowstorms

$145K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

2000

Severe Storms and Flooding

$32K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$298K to the Town of Bethlehem for repairs

Albany County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Bethlehem

Bethlehem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Schodackmostly inland floodingModerate

Coeymansmostly inland floodingLow

Albanymostly inland floodingLow

East Greenbushmostly inland floodingLow

New Scotlandmostly inland floodingLow

Bethlehemmostly inland floodingVery low

Guilderlandmostly 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. Bethlehem covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bethlehem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bethlehem. 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 Bethlehem total about $6.6M 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.