Natural hazards · Scottdale

Scottdale, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Scottdale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 27 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Scottdale?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Scottdale to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding93%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Scottdale 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 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Scottdale flood?

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

27paid claims since 1978

$33Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Westmoreland County.

Disasters that hit Scottdale

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ScottdaleDeclared for Westmoreland County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

Westmoreland County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Scottdale

Scottdale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Scottdalemostly inland floodingHigh

Upper Tyronemostly inland floodingModerate

Eversonmostly inland floodingModerate

East Huntingdonmostly 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. Scottdale covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Scottdale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Scottdale. 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 Scottdale 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.