Natural hazards · Bradford

Bradford, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bradford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 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 Bradford?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bradford to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Bradford faces

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

Inland flooding

89% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Bradford flood?

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

43paid claims since 1979

$334Kpaid to owners

4homes 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. Bradford isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: McKean County.

Disasters that hit Bradford

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BradfordDeclared for McKean County only

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

53 households applied for aid $79K aid approved

McKean County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Bradford

Bradford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bradfordmostly inland floodingVery high

Bradfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Fostermostly 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. Bradford covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bradford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bradford. 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 Bradford total about $4.0M 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.