Natural hazards · Akron

Akron, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Akron comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1989. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Akron?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Akron to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Hurricanes12%Cold waves7%Heat waves5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Akron faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 12 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Akron flood?

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

7paid claims since 1989

$171Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Lee: 4 claims, $153K
Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $2K

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

Insurance rates: Lancaster County.

Disasters that hit Akron

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AkronDeclared for Lancaster County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

17 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

Lancaster County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Akron

Akron and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Earlmostly inland floodingHigh

Ephratamostly inland floodingHigh

Ephratamostly inland floodingModerate

Akronmostly inland floodingLow

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. Akron covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Akron’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Akron. 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 Akron total about $771K 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.