Natural hazards · Old Forge

Old Forge, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Old Forge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 21 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Old Forge?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Old Forge to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Cold waves9%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Old Forge faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Old Forge flood?

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

21paid claims since 1978

$793Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 6 claims, $614K
Not a named storm: 4 claims, $46K
Hurricane Gloria: 3 claims, $18K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lackawanna County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

26flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Old Forge

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Old ForgeDeclared for Lackawanna County only

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

9 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

15 households applied for aid $36K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $468 aid approved

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

Around Old Forge

Old Forge and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Duryeamostly inland floodingVery high

Moosicmostly inland floodingHigh

Old Forgemostly inland floodingModerate

Ransommostly inland floodingModerate

Taylormostly 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. Old Forge covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Old Forge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Old Forge. 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 Old Forge total about $2.6M 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.