Natural hazards · Scranton

Scranton, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Scranton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 746 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Scranton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding77%Cold waves10%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Scranton faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% 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 Scranton flood?

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

746paid claims since 1978

$14.6Mpaid to owners

111homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 161 claims, $3.6M
Hurricane Gloria: 64 claims, $581K
Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (16) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Scranton 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

44flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Scranton

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ScrantonDeclared for Lackawanna County only

2006

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides

117 households applied for aid $242K aid approved

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

375 households applied for aid $881K aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $22K aid approved

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

Around Scranton

Scranton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Moosicmostly inland floodingHigh

Scrantonmostly inland floodingModerate

Ransommostly inland floodingModerate

Taylormostly inland floodingLow

Spring Brookmostly inland floodingLow

South Abingtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Roaring Brookmostly inland floodingVery low

Dunmoremostly 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. Scranton covers 27 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Scranton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Scranton. 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 Scranton total about $21.3M 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.