Natural hazards · Rochester

Rochester, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rochester comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1996. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Rochester?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rochester to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Tornadoes6%Strong wind5%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Rochester faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 45% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Rochester flood?

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

1paid claims since 1996

$4Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Beaver County.

Disasters that hit Rochester

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RochesterDeclared for Beaver County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

14 households applied for aid $110K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

4 households applied for aid $27K aid approved

Beaver County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Rochester

Rochester and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bridgewatermostly inland floodingHigh

Monacamostly inland floodingLow

Rochestermostly inland floodingVery low

East Rochestermostly inland floodingVery low

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. Rochester covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rochester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Rochester. 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 Rochester total about $447K 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.