Chester Waterside Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company · Photo: Jack Boucher · Public domainFEMA expects less hazard damage per building in Chester than in 74% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Chester gets a B+ for hazard risk: lower expected damage per building than 74% of U.S. towns, #485 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (75%), then earthquakes (11%). Flood insurance has paid 148 claims here since 1978.
Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded
What stands out about Chester’s natural hazards
From FEMA’s model and FEMA’s records, below.
What Chester faces
Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.
River and rain flooding
Earthquakes
Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.
What’s behind Chester’s grade
River and rain flooding is 75% of the building damage FEMA expects in Chester, and Chester’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 58% of U.S. census tracts. Coastal flooding adds 2%, at a rate in the top 6% of U.S. census tracts.
B+ #485 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania; lower expected damage per building than 74% of U.S. towns (21,298).
Chester’s residents live in 12 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.
The typical Pennsylvania town has lower expected damage than 71% of U.S. towns; within the state, Chester has less expected damage per building than 53% of Pennsylvania towns.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $8.3M a year in losses across Chester: $5.9M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Chester flood? Yes: 148 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Chester, from FEMA’s records: 9.9 per 1,000 homes, more than 74% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.
- Hurricane Floyd31 claims · $1.3M
- Hurricane Irene21 claims · $197K
- Hurricane Isaias6 claims · $105K
Chester isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Delaware County.5 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Chester
Disasters that paid out in Chester itself (aid to households or repair grants to the City of Chester), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.
- 2021Remnants of Hurricane Ida1,812 households applied for aid$2.1M aid approved
- 2011Tropical Storm Lee79 households applied for aid$74K aid approved
- 2011Hurricane Irene697 households applied for aid$912K aid approved21 flood claims paid for it, $197K
- 2004Tropical Depression Ivan19 households applied for aid$44K aid approved1 flood claim paid for it, $9K
- 2004Severe Storms and Flooding52 households applied for aid$51K aid approved
Delaware County has had 19 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often hurricanes and tropical storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of Chester after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Chester archive →Chester and its neighbors
Chester is 4th of the 10 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trainer | Aless damage than 87% | river and rain flooding | 17 |
| Nether Providence Township | Aless damage than 86% | river and rain flooding | 17 |
| Ridley Township | A−less damage than 80% | river and rain flooding | 85 |
| Chester | B+less damage than 74% | river and rain flooding | 148 |
| Parkside | Bless damage than 64% | river and rain flooding | 3 |
| Brookhaven | Bless damage than 58% | river and rain flooding | 53 |
| Logan Township | B−less damage than 55% | river and rain flooding | 25 |
| Eddystone | B−less damage than 51% | river and rain flooding | 11 |
| Upland | C+more damage than 64% | river and rain flooding | 218 |
| Chester Township | Cmore damage than 66% | river and rain flooding | 140 |
| Woodlyn | — | a Census area inside a town; graded with the town | |
Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.
Get ready for what Chester faces
A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.
- Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
- Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
- Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
- Drop, cover and hold on.
- Strap tall furniture and the water heater to the wall.
- Know how to shut off the gas.
- Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
- Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.
Questions about natural hazards in Chester
Is Chester at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Chester has lower expected damage per building than 74% of U.S. towns: B+ for hazard risk, #485 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (75%) and earthquakes (11%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Does Chester flood?
Flood insurance has paid 148 claims in Chester since 1978, $3.2M in all, or 9.9 per 1,000 homes, more than 74% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 29 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Hurricane Floyd (31).
Is Chester in a flood zone?
Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Delaware County, 39% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.7% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Chester?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Chester’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
What was the biggest storm in Chester?
By FEMA money that reached Chester, Remnants of Hurricane Ida (2021): 1,812 households applied for aid, $2.1M approved. By flood claims, Hurricane Floyd: 31 paid, $1.3M.
Is Chester at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (75%), and Chester’s rate for it is lower than 58% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Chester.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Chester’s residents lived in the 2020 census; 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. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.