Natural hazards · Avalon

Avalon, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Avalon comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,759 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Avalon?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Avalon to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and coastal flooding.

Inland flooding49%Coastal flooding32%Hurricanes12%Strong wind6%Everything else2%

By hazard

What Avalon faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

32% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Avalon flood?

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

1,759paid claims since 1979

$27.1Mpaid to owners

125homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 718 claims, $16.2M
Hurricane Gloria: 167 claims, $1.0M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 135 claims, $1.7M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (34) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 35% off flood insurance. Avalon is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 3) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Cape May County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

5homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Avalon

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AvalonDeclared for Cape May County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3.8M to the Borough of Avalon for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

201 households applied for aid $116K aid approved $1.3M to the Borough of Avalon for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

2 households applied for aid

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$248K to the Borough of Avalon for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $426K to the Borough of Avalon for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'eas

$129K to the Borough of Avalon for repairs

Cape May County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Avalon

Avalon and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Avalonmostly inland floodingVery high

Middlemostly inland floodingHigh

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. Avalon covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Avalon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Avalon. 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 Avalon total about $7.4M 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.