Key facts: Bear
- Bear went from a crossroads to a place of more than 23,000 people, almost all of it through housing built since the late 1980s along U.S.
- Route 40.[1]
- A home from the Route 40 building boom has now reached the age where its water heater, washer hoses and toilet supply lines are worth inspecting.
When a 1990s house hits middle age
A home from the Route 40 building boom has now reached the age where its water heater, washer hoses and toilet supply lines are worth inspecting. These failures start inside finished rooms. Know your shutoffs, replace worn connectors, and check under sinks for slow drips.
A closer look in Bear
Townhouse water crosses the wall
Flood claims recorded in New Castle County
Bear sits in New Castle County. FEMA publishes every National Flood Insurance Program claim with personal details removed, which gives a plain record of where water has reached insured buildings here.
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Flood insurance claims on record | 1,575 |
| Year with the most claims | 2003 (263) |
| Largest named event | Hurricane Floyd (210) |
| Claims outside high-risk A and V zones | 32% |
| Claims on buildings built before 1975 | 80% |
County-wide counts of insured claims only. Uninsured losses, burst pipes and appliance leaks are not in this data.
What the Bear claim record shows
For Bear homes, the local precedents are the events behind the most New Castle County claims: Hurricane Floyd (210 claims), Hurricane Irene (144 claims) and Hurricane Ida (90 claims).
About 32% of claims with a recorded zone came from outside the high-risk A and V zones, so a moderate-risk label does not mean a Bear home stays dry.
If your Bear home is older, note that buildings from before 1975 make up 80% of county claims with a known build date. Many predate current flood maps, so inspect low outlets, ductwork and subfloors closely after any water event.
Federal disaster history for New Castle County
FEMA lists 17 federal declarations covering New Castle County. The most common types are hurricane (9), snowstorm (4) and biological (2). The latest are Remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021, Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020 and Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020. When a declaration is open, federal aid may be available to Bear residents, so ask about it alongside your insurance claim.
Bear weather and your home
Weather records for Bear from 2015 through 2024 average 52 inches of precipitation a year, and August and July are the wettest months. The area averages 11.6 days a year with an inch or more.
Bear falls to 20°F or below on about 12 nights a year, which puts pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and garages at risk.
When rain falls in Bear
Seasonal averages for Bear, 2015 through 2024. Plan roof, gutter and sump pump checks before the wettest stretch.
| Season | Average | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 11.6 in | 22% |
| April to June | 13.3 in | 26% |
| July to September | 15.8 in | 30% |
| October to December | 11.3 in | 22% |
Modeled from Open-Meteo historical weather data. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow.
Bear home checklist from these records
- Don't rely on recent quiet years. Only 15% of New Castle County claims date from 2015 or later, so older floods still show what can happen.
- Insulate exposed pipes before 12-plus hard-freeze nights arrive, and know your main shutoff.
- Test any sump pump before August, since Bear averages 12 days a year with an inch or more.
- Keep dated photos of each room. After Hurricane Floyd, 210 insured New Castle County owners filed claims at about the same time.
What to tell the Bear contractor
- Your home's rough age
- Whether you share a wall
- What failed, if you know