McClay's Twin Bridge (East) · Photo: PennDOT · Public domainFEMA puts Southampton Township’s expected hazard damage per building below that of 78% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Southampton Township gets an A− for hazard risk: lower expected damage per building than 78% of U.S. towns, #430 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (82%). FEMA’s files show no paid flood insurance claims here.
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 Southampton 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
Hurricanes
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 Southampton Township’s grade
River and rain flooding is 82% of the building damage FEMA expects in Southampton Township, and Southampton Township’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is lower than 55% of U.S. census tracts. Next is hurricanes at 10% (higher than 78% of U.S. census tracts).
A− #430 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania; lower expected damage per building than 78% of U.S. towns (21,298).
Southampton Township’s residents live in 2 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, Southampton Township has less expected damage per building than 59% of Pennsylvania towns.
In dollars, FEMA expects about $1.8M a year in losses across Southampton Township: $1.4M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.
Does Southampton Township flood? No paid flood claims on record
FEMA’s records show no paid flood insurance claims in Southampton Township. That’s not a promise: most homes don’t carry flood insurance, so small floods go unrecorded.
Southampton 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: Franklin County.The storms Southampton Township remembers
None of the 16 disasters declared for Franklin County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Southampton Township itself in FEMA’s records, so these are its biggest flood-claim years.
Franklin County has had 16 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often floods, then winter storms. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.
Southampton Township and its neighbors
Southampton Township has the lowest expected damage per building of the 7 graded towns here. Tap a town to see its hazards.
| Town | Hazard risk | Mostly (buildings) | Flood claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton Township | A−less damage than 78% | river and rain flooding | 0 |
| Lurgan Township | B+less damage than 70% | river and rain flooding | 2 |
| Letterkenny Township | B+less damage than 70% | river and rain flooding | 2 |
| Hopewell Township | B+less damage than 68% | river and rain flooding | 1 |
| Greene Township | B+less damage than 66% | river and rain flooding | 3 |
| Shippensburg Township | Bless damage than 64% | river and rain flooding | — |
| Shippensburg | Bless damage than 58% | river and rain flooding | 3 |
| Southampton Township | — | not graded yet | |
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 Southampton 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.
- The season runs June through November and peaks from mid-August to mid-October.
- Bring in porch furniture and anything the wind can throw.
- Fill the gas tank and charge phones before the storm arrives.
- 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 Southampton Township
Is Southampton Township at risk for natural disasters?
On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Southampton Township has lower expected damage per building than 78% of U.S. towns: A− for hazard risk, #430 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (82%) and hurricanes (10%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.
Is Southampton 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 Franklin County, 20% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.4% of all homes do.
How much is flood insurance in Southampton Township?
FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Southampton Township’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.
Is Southampton Township at risk from river and rain flooding?
It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (82%), and Southampton Township’s rate for it is lower than 55% of U.S. census tracts.
Storm stories
Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Southampton Township.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Southampton 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.