Natural hazards · Chambersburg

Chambersburg, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chambersburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1978. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chambersburg?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chambersburg to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Hurricanes8%Earthquakes6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Chambersburg faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 14 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Chambersburg flood?

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

23paid claims since 1978

$149Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Franklin County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Chambersburg

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChambersburgDeclared for Franklin County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

216 households applied for aid $453K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

15 households applied for aid $40K aid approved

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

Around Chambersburg

Chambersburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Greenemostly inland floodingLow

Chambersburgmostly inland floodingLow

Hamiltonmostly inland floodingLow

Guilfordmostly 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. Chambersburg covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chambersburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Chambersburg. 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 Chambersburg total about $5.5M 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.