Natural hazards · Bedford

Bedford, OH natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bedford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bedford?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bedford to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves23%Tornadoes14%Heat waves5%Everything else5%

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

53% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Bedford flood?

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

14paid claims since 1979

$56Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

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: Cuyahoga County.

Disasters that hit Bedford

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BedfordDeclared for Cuyahoga County only

2012

Severe Storms and Flooding Due to the Remnants of Hurricane Sandy

$20K to the City of Bedford for repairs

2006

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, and Flooding

222 households applied for aid $252K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

72 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $45K to the City of Bedford for repairs

2003

Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

426 households applied for aid $303K aid approved

Cuyahoga County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Bedford

Bedford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Maple Heightsmostly inland floodingVery low

Bedfordmostly inland floodingVery low

Bedford Heightsmostly inland floodingVery low

Oakwoodmostly inland floodingVery low

Walton Hillsmostly 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 4 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 City 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 $2.3M 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.