Natural hazards · New Castle

New Castle, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in New Castle comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 38 claims here since 1979. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is New Castle?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in New Castle to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding93%Everything else7%

By hazard

What New Castle faces

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

Inland flooding

93% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 New Castle flood?

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

38paid claims since 1979

$245Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Bill: 1 claim, $8K

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

Insurance rates: Lawrence County.

Disasters that hit New Castle

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in New Castle itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of New Castle.

Brought FEMA money into New CastleDeclared for Lawrence County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

113 households applied for aid $251K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

105 households applied for aid $227K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

214 households applied for aid $339K aid approved

Lawrence County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around New Castle

New Castle and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

New Castlemostly inland floodingHigh

Taylormostly inland floodingHigh

Shenangomostly inland floodingModerate

Hickorymostly inland floodingModerate

North Beavermostly inland floodingLow

Neshannockmostly inland floodingLow

Unionmostly 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. New Castle covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to New Castle’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of New Castle. 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 New Castle total about $9.1M 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.