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Natural hazards · Bay Head

Bay Head, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bay Head comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 740 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 Bay Head?

87
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bay Head to be higher than in 87% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and coastal flooding.

Inland flooding50%Coastal flooding32%Strong wind11%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Bay Head faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

32% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Strong wind

11% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 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 Bay Head flood?

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

740paid claims since 1978
$66.0Mpaid to owners
42homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 566 claims, $64.1M
  • December Storm - Nor'easter: 58 claims, $811K
  • Hurricane Irene: 35 claims, $823K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Bay Head is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Ocean County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Bay Head

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Bay HeadDeclared for Ocean County only
2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$130K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

654 households applied for aid $3.1M aid approved $4.1M to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

11 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $44K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$8K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $2K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2009

Snowstorm

$7K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
2009

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

$14K to the Borough of Bay Head for repairs
Ocean County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.
Around Bay Head

Bay Head and the towns around it

Point Pleasant: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMantoloking: Very high, mostly inland floodingBrick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPoint Pleasant Beach: High, mostly inland floodingBrielle: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBay Head: Very high, mostly inland flooding Bay HeadPoint PleasantMantoloking
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Bay Headmostly inland floodingVery high
Mantolokingmostly inland floodingVery high
Point Pleasantmostly inland floodingModerate
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. Bay Head covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bay Head’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Bay Head. 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 Bay Head total about $3.3M 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.

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