Natural hazards · Newark

Newark, DE natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newark comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 47 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Newark?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newark to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Everything else20%

By hazard

What Newark faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Newark flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Newark, from FEMA’s records.

47paid claims since 1978

$2.8Mpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 15 claims, $666K
Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $808K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Newark is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: New Castle County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

3buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Newark

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Newark itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Newark.

Brought FEMA money into NewarkDeclared for New Castle County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$50K to the City of Newark for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$106K to the City of Newark for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$73K to the City of Newark for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms

$120K to the City of Newark for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding From the Remnants of

$98K to the City of Newark for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

35 households applied for aid $39K aid approved $85K to the City of Newark for repairs

2003

Snow

$34K to the City of Newark for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$34K to the City of Newark for repairs

New Castle County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Newark covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Newark’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Newark. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Newark total about $11.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); 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. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.