Natural hazards · Nicholson

Nicholson, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Nicholson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1996. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Nicholson?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Nicholson to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding88%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Nicholson 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 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about once 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 Nicholson flood?

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

15paid claims since 1996

$778Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 2 claims, $50K
Tropical Storm Lee: 1 claim, $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. Nicholson isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Wyoming County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Nicholson

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NicholsonDeclared for Wyoming County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

6 households applied for aid $20K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

1 household applied for aid

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

92 households applied for aid $281K aid approved

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $700 aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

38 households applied for aid $60K aid approved

Wyoming County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

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. Nicholson 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 Nicholson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Nicholson. 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.