Natural hazards · Freeland

Freeland, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Freeland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Freeland?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Freeland to be higher than in 2% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding44%Cold waves22%Tornadoes9%Heat waves7%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Freeland faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Freeland flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Freeland.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Luzerne County.

Disasters that hit Freeland

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FreelandDeclared for Luzerne County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

1 household applied for aid

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

5 households applied for aid $8K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

2 households applied for aid

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

21 households applied for aid $50K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

3 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

Luzerne County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

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. Freeland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Freeland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Freeland. 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 Freeland total about $477K 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.