Natural hazards · Ben Avon

Ben Avon, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ben Avon comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1979. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ben Avon?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ben Avon to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Cold waves9%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Ben Avon faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Ben Avon flood?

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

4paid claims since 1979

$21Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Allegheny County.

Disasters that hit Ben Avon

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Ben AvonDeclared for Allegheny County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid

Allegheny County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Ben Avon

Ben Avon and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Emsworthmostly inland floodingHigh

Avalonmostly inland floodingModerate

Nevillemostly inland floodingModerate

Kilbuckmostly inland floodingModerate

Ben Avonmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Ben Avon covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ben Avon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Ben Avon. 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 Ben Avon total about $530K 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.