Natural hazards · Swissvale

Swissvale, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Swissvale comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Swissvale?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Swissvale to be higher than in 16% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding73%Cold waves16%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Swissvale faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% 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 Swissvale flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Swissvale.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Allegheny County.

Disasters that hit Swissvale

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SwissvaleDeclared for Allegheny County only

2004

Tropical Depression Ivan

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

Allegheny County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Swissvale

Swissvale and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pittsburghmostly inland floodingHigh

North Braddockmostly inland floodingLow

Rankinmostly inland floodingLow

Swissvalemostly inland floodingVery low

Braddock Hillsmostly inland floodingVery low

Munhallmostly inland floodingVery low

Edgewoodmostly 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. Swissvale covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Swissvale’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Swissvale. 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 Swissvale total about $1.4M 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.