Ashley Planes · Photo: Russ Nelson · CC BY-SA 2.0FEMA expects about as much hazard damage per building in Hanover Township as in the typical U.S. town, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Hanover Township gets a B for hazard risk: lower expected damage per building than 58% of U.S. towns, #682 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (90%). Flood insurance has paid 90 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 Hanover Township 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
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 Hanover Township’s grade
River and rain flooding is 90% of the building damage FEMA expects in Hanover Township, and Hanover Township’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 67% of U.S. census tracts.
B #682 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania; lower expected damage per building than 58% of U.S. towns (21,298).
Hanover Township’s residents live in 4 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, Hanover Township has more expected damage per building than 66% of Pennsylvania towns.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $3.8M a year in losses across Hanover Township: $3.0M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Hanover Township flood? Sometimes: 90 flood claims since 1978
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Hanover Township, from FEMA’s records: 17.2 per 1,000 homes, more than 82% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.
- Tropical Storm Ivan16 claims · $121K
- Hurricane Ida15 claims · $210K
- Tropical Storm Lee7 claims · $907K
Hanover Township isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Luzerne County.The storms Hanover Township remembers
None of the 18 disasters declared for Luzerne County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Hanover Township itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 200621 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storms and Flooding, declared for Luzerne County
- 199620 flood claims paidThe year of Severe Storms and Flooding, declared for Luzerne County
- 200416 flood claims paidThe year of Tropical Depression Ivan, declared for Luzerne County
Luzerne County has had 18 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 Hanover Township after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the Hanover Township archive →Hanover Township and its neighbors
Hanover Township is 4th of the 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Township | A−less damage than 82% | river and rain flooding | 4 |
| Fairview Township | A−less damage than 81% | river and rain flooding | — |
| Nanticoke | B+less damage than 75% | river and rain flooding | 55 |
| Hanover Township | Bless damage than 58% | river and rain flooding | 90 |
| Newport Township | B−less damage than 50% | river and rain flooding | 3 |
| Larksville | B−more damage than 51% | river and rain flooding | 3 |
| Wilkes-Barre | C−more damage than 75% | river and rain flooding | 523 |
| Plymouth | C−more damage than 80% | river and rain flooding | 76 |
| Plymouth Township | Dmore damage than 87% | river and rain flooding | 353 |
| Nuangola | — | 748 residents; we grade 1,000+ | |
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 Hanover Township 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.
- 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 Hanover Township
Is Hanover Township at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Hanover Township has lower expected damage per building than 58% of U.S. towns: B for hazard risk, #682 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (90%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Does Hanover Township flood?
Flood insurance has paid 90 claims in Hanover Township since 1978, $1.6M in all, or 17.2 per 1,000 homes, more than 82% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 8 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Ivan (16).
Is Hanover Township 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 Luzerne County, 53% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 3.3% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Hanover Township?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Hanover Township’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 Hanover Township?
By flood claims, Tropical Storm Ivan: 16 paid, $121K.
Is Hanover Township at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (90%), and Hanover Township’s rate for it is higher than 67% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Hanover Township.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Hanover Township’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.