Photo: Nyttend · Public domainStorms, floods and disasters in South Bethlehem
South Bethlehem isn’t graded for hazard risk: South Bethlehem has 382 residents; we grade towns of 1,000 or more. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2004.
What South Bethlehem 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.
Does South Bethlehem flood? Rarely: 1 flood claim since 2004
Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in South Bethlehem, from FEMA’s records.
- Tropical Storm Ivan1 claim · $22K
South 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: Armstrong County.The storms South Bethlehem remembers
None of the 14 disasters declared for Armstrong County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching South Bethlehem itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
- 20041 flood claims paidThe year of Tropical Depression Ivan, declared for Armstrong County
Armstrong County has had 14 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then severe storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Old photos of South Bethlehem after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.
Add to the South Bethlehem archive →South Bethlehem and its neighbors
How expected damage per building compares across the town line. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porter Township | C+more damage than 57% | river and rain flooding | 88 |
| Mahoning Township | Cmore damage than 72% | river and rain flooding | 17 |
| New Bethlehem | — | 957 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 South Bethlehem 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 South Bethlehem
Does South Bethlehem flood?
Flood insurance has paid 1 claim in South Bethlehem since 2004, $22K in all. The most claims came from Tropical Storm Ivan (1).
Is South Bethlehem 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 Armstrong County, 9% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.7% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in South Bethlehem?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for South Bethlehem’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 South Bethlehem?
By flood claims, Tropical Storm Ivan: 1 paid, $22K.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in South Bethlehem.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where South Bethlehem’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.