Natural hazards · Chadds Ford

Chadds Ford, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chadds Ford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 75 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chadds Ford?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chadds Ford to be higher than in 7% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding58%Earthquakes8%Tornadoes7%Heat waves7%Hurricanes6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Chadds Ford faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Chadds Ford flood?

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

75paid claims since 1978

$4.0Mpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 18 claims, $2.6M
Mid-spring storms: 13 claims, $515K
Hurricane Floyd: 11 claims, $299K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Delaware County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Chadds Ford

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Chadds FordDeclared for Delaware County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

36 households applied for aid $75K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

10 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Delaware County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Chadds Ford

Chadds Ford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Birminghammostly inland floodingLow

Pennsburymostly inland floodingVery low

Thornburymostly inland floodingVery low

Chadds Fordmostly inland floodingVery low

Concordmostly 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. Chadds Ford covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chadds Ford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Chadds Ford. 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 Chadds Ford total about $1.3M 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.