Flood insurance in Pennsylvania: cost by ZIP code and county
Pennsylvania's 28,578 single-family flood policies had a median bill of $1,205 on July 31, 2026, more than the country as a whole.
Median single-family flood bill, Pennsylvania
$1,205
28,578 policies in force on July 31, 2026, premium and fees included.
| Median full-risk price, same policies | $1,665 |
| Policies still below their full-risk price | 51 % |
| Median paid in August 2023 | $880 |
| Increase left from the median | 3 renewals at 18 % |
| Next five bills, added up | $8,054 |
| Median claim paid, 2016 to 2025 (5,243 claims) | $12,511 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the numbers come from · 838 ZIP codes and 67 counties of Pennsylvania in FEMA's tables · not a quote
For a single-family home in Pennsylvania, the median federal flood bill was $1,205 a year on July 31, 2026, all charges included, across 28,578 policies. The national median on the same date was $1,081, so a state with no ocean coast pays more than the average American policyholder. The full-risk figures point the same way: the median full-risk bill of these policies is $1,665, and 51 % of them have not reached it; only 9 other states (counting the District of Columbia) have a larger share still capped. A-zone policies paid a median $1,449 and would pay $1,940 at full risk. At 18 % a year, a main home at the state median needs 3 more renewals to close that gap. Hurricane Ida, in 2021, paid 1,161 single-family claims here.
Why a landlocked state pays above average
The state's large rivers include the Susquehanna, gauged by the USGS at Wilkes-Barre, the Delaware and the Schuylkill, both gauged in Philadelphia, and the Allegheny and Monongahela, both gauged in Pittsburgh. Under Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA can price each house on the frequency of flooding, its proximity to flood sources, its first floor height and its cost to rebuild, and the yearly cap lets a bill below that price climb a step at a time.
The result is a price ladder that has not finished climbing. In August 2023, FEMA's table put the state's median current cost at $880 and its median full-risk cost at $1,623. By July 31, 2026 the median bill had reached $1,205, and the full-risk median of policies in force was $1,665.
Renewals left for a Pennsylvania bill
Renewals before your bill reaches the full-risk price
3 renewals
| Renewal 1 (capped) | $1,409 |
| Renewal 2 (capped) | $1,650 |
| Renewal 3 | $1,665 |
| Renewal 4 | $1,665 |
Homes outside the mapped floodplain are cheaper but not exempt. Pennsylvania's 9,640 policies rated X, B or C paid a median $1,007, and their full-risk median of $1,149 leaves a smaller climb than in the A zones. Buyers in those zones choose to insure: no federally regulated lender has to require it there.
Luzerne County and the Susquehanna
Luzerne County, around Wilkes-Barre, has the most policies in the state, 3,337. Its median bill of $1,181 compares with a median full-risk bill of $1,401, and 62 % of its policies are still below full price. Dauphin County, home to Harrisburg, pays more today, $1,547 at the median, and its full-risk median is $2,283. Wyoming County, which borders Luzerne to the north, had the widest gap between current and full-risk cost in FEMA's 2023 table.
The Philadelphia suburbs carry the claims
Claims tell a different story from policy counts. Montgomery County paid 662 single-family claims over 2016 to 2025, at a median of $21,909, and Bucks County 373. Statewide, the two largest events were Hurricane Ida (1,161 claims, $48,117,377) and Hurricane Isaias (730 claims). Both counties border Philadelphia. Philadelphia itself has fewer policies, 1,164, at a median of $972.
The 1,389 paid claims rated in X, B or C zones show that statewide, many paid losses came from outside the mapped high-risk zones. How rate increases work explains the yearly steps in detail.
The Pennsylvania counties with the most policies
| County | Policies | Median bill | Full-risk median | Still below full risk | Renewals left at 18 % | Median bill, August 2023 | Median claim 2016-2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luzerne County | 3,337 | $1,181 | $1,401 | 62 % | 2 | $804 | $6,205 |
| Bucks County | 2,473 | $1,259 | $1,798 | 48 % | 3 | $884 | $17,463 |
| Montgomery County | 2,034 | $1,173 | $1,312 | 40 % | 1 | $853 | $21,909 |
| Allegheny County | 1,650 | $1,264 | $1,654 | 49 % | 2 | $885 | $8,472 |
| Philadelphia County | 1,164 | $972 | $1,003 | 20 % | 1 | $781 | $23,939 |
| Dauphin County | 1,004 | $1,547 | $2,283 | 51 % | 3 | $1,210 | $8,120 |
| Delaware County | 1,065 | $1,060 | $1,112 | 30 % | 1 | $858 | $10,480 |
| Chester County | 941 | $1,150 | $1,239 | 31 % | 1 | $851 | $18,608 |
Full-risk prices of Pennsylvania homes, band by band
| Full risk-based price a year | Policies | Share | Median rebuild value |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 to $1,000 | 9,225 | 27.6 % | $424,454 |
| $1,000 to $2,000 | 10,597 | 31.7 % | $383,376 |
| $2,000 to $3,000 | 6,016 | 18.0 % | $378,422 |
| $3,000 to $4,000 | 3,315 | 9.9 % | $409,923 |
| $4,000 to $5,000 | 1,858 | 5.6 % | $443,629 |
| $5,000 or more | 2,404 | 7.2 % |
The floods that paid the most Pennsylvania claims since 2016
| Event (FEMA name) | Year | Paid claims | Paid in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ida | 2021 | 1,161 | $48,117,377 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020 | 730 | $18,012,734 |
| Hurricane Debby | 2024 | 116 | $3,526,597 |