Natural hazards · Hellertown

Hellertown, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hellertown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 14 claims here since 2004. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hellertown?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hellertown to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Heat waves9%Cold waves8%Hurricanes7%Tornadoes6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Hellertown faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 16 years in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Hellertown flood?

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

14paid claims since 2004

$229Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 8 claims, $211K
Hurricane Isaias: 3 claims, $7K
Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $10K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Northampton County.

Disasters that hit Hellertown

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HellertownDeclared for Northampton County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

24 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

16 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

78 households applied for aid $159K aid approved

Northampton County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Hellertown

Hellertown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bethlehemmostly inland floodingModerate

Lower Sauconmostly inland floodingLow

Hellertownmostly 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. Hellertown covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hellertown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Hellertown. 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 Hellertown total about $1.2M 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.