Natural hazards · Barnegat Light

Barnegat Light, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Barnegat Light comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 147 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Barnegat Light?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Barnegat Light to be higher than in 81% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and coastal flooding.

Inland flooding55%Coastal flooding25%Strong wind13%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Barnegat Light faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

25% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Barnegat Light flood?

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

147paid claims since 1979

$2.7Mpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 112 claims, $2.4M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 17 claims, $139K
Hurricane Gloria: 1 claim, $3K

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. Barnegat Light is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Ocean County.

Disasters that hit Barnegat Light

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Barnegat LightDeclared for Ocean County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

129 households applied for aid $96K aid approved $93K to the Borough of Barnegat Light for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$6K to the Borough of Barnegat Light for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$3K to the Borough of Barnegat Light for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$3K to the Borough of Barnegat Light for repairs

2009

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

$18K to the Borough of Barnegat Light for repairs

Ocean County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Barnegat Light

Barnegat Light and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Long Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Barnegat Lightmostly inland floodingVery high

Oceanmostly 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. Barnegat Light is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.