Natural hazards · Kennett Square

Kennett Square, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kennett Square comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1981. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kennett Square?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kennett Square to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding63%Heat waves8%Tornadoes7%Earthquakes7%Cold waves5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Kennett Square faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

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

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Kennett Square flood?

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

16paid claims since 1981

$295Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isaias: 1 claim, $11K
Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $29K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $29K

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. Kennett Square isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Chester County.

Disasters that hit Kennett Square

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Kennett SquareDeclared for Chester County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

48 households applied for aid $44K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

6 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

9 households applied for aid $29K aid approved

2003

Tropical Storms Henri and Isabel and Related Severe Storms and Flooding

74 households applied for aid $239K aid approved

Chester County has had 22 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. Kennett Square covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kennett Square’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Kennett Square. 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 Kennett Square total about $1.6M 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.