Natural hazards · Bedford

Bedford, VA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bedford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2018. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bedford?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding63%Earthquakes9%Hurricanes8%Strong wind6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Bedford faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 15 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Bedford flood?

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

1paid claims since 2018

$18Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20182026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bedford County.

Disasters that hit Bedford

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BedfordDeclared for Bedford County only

2025

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$24K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

22 households applied for aid $36K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$116K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

$17K to the Town of Bedford for repairs

Bedford County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

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. Bedford covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

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