Natural hazards · Durham

Durham, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Durham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 188 claims here since 1996. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Durham?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Durham to be higher than in 79% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding89%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Durham 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 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Durham flood?

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

188paid claims since 1996

$5.8Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 20 claims, $925K
Torrential rain: 13 claims, $471K
Hurricane Irene: 5 claims, $200K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Durham 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 Durham

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DurhamDeclared for Bucks County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

4 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

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

Around Durham

Durham and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Durhammostly inland floodingHigh

Riegelsvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Hollandmostly inland floodingHigh

Williamsmostly inland floodingModerate

Nockamixonmostly inland floodingLow

Springfieldmostly inland floodingLow

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. Durham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Durham’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Durham. 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 Durham total about $1.8M 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.