Natural hazards · Galeton

Galeton, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Galeton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1984. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Galeton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Galeton to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Galeton faces

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

Inland flooding

88% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Galeton flood?

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

1paid claims since 1984

$6Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19842026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Potter County.

Disasters that hit Galeton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GaletonDeclared for Potter County only

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

33 households applied for aid $183K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

4 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $882 aid approved

Potter County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Galeton

Galeton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Galetonmostly inland floodingVery high

Pikemostly inland floodingVery high

West Branchmostly inland floodingVery high

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. Galeton is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Galeton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Galeton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.