Natural hazards · Bensalem

Bensalem, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bensalem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 265 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bensalem?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bensalem to be higher than in 27% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Earthquakes10%Cold waves5%Tornadoes5%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Bensalem 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

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bensalem flood?

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

265paid claims since 1978

$5.9Mpaid to owners

39homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 41 claims, $1.3M
Hurricane Irene: 25 claims, $1.0M
Hurricane Ida: 14 claims, $715K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (11) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bucks County.

Disasters that hit Bensalem

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BensalemDeclared for Bucks County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

275 households applied for aid $291K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

38 households applied for aid $107K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

148 households applied for aid $265K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

9 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

Bucks County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Bensalem

Bensalem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Beverlymostly inland floodingVery high

Delancomostly inland floodingVery high

Hulmevillemostly inland floodingModerate

Bristolmostly inland floodingModerate

Philadelphiamostly inland floodingModerate

Bensalemmostly inland floodingLow

Middletownmostly inland floodingLow

Lower Southamptonmostly 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. Bensalem covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bensalem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Bensalem. 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 Bensalem total about $16.5M 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.