Natural hazards · West Bethlehem

West Bethlehem, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Bethlehem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 2003.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is West Bethlehem?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Bethlehem to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding93%Everything else7%

By hazard

What West Bethlehem 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 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 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 West Bethlehem flood?

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

4paid claims since 2003

$89Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit West Bethlehem

Federal disasters declared here

None of the disasters declared for Washington County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching West Bethlehem itself in FEMA’s records.

Brought FEMA money into West BethlehemDeclared for Washington County only

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

Around West Bethlehem

West Bethlehem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Bethlehemmostly inland floodingHigh

Deemstonmostly inland floodingHigh

Morganmostly inland floodingHigh

Washingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Amwellmostly inland floodingModerate

North Bethlehemmostly 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. West Bethlehem covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Bethlehem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of West Bethlehem. 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 West Bethlehem total about $1.1M 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.