Natural hazards · Allentown

Allentown, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Allentown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 2007. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Allentown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Allentown to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding44%Strong wind31%Heat waves10%Earthquakes5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Allentown faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

31% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Allentown flood?

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

3paid claims since 2007

$94Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $6K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $83K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Allentown isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Monmouth County.

Disasters that hit Allentown

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AllentownDeclared for Monmouth County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$12K to the Borough of Allentown for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

51 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $35K to the Borough of Allentown for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

40 households applied for aid $114K aid approved $52K to the Borough of Allentown for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Monmouth County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Allentown

Allentown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Allentownmostly inland floodingHigh

Upper Freeholdmostly inland floodingHigh

Robbinsvillemostly inland floodingLow

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. Allentown covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Allentown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Allentown. 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 Allentown total about $797K 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.