Natural hazards · Belleville

Belleville, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Belleville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 217 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Belleville?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Belleville to be higher than in 77% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding81%Heat waves7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Belleville faces

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

Inland flooding

81% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Belleville flood?

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

217paid claims since 1978

$12.5Mpaid to owners

40homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 58 claims, $5.1M
Hurricane Irene: 53 claims, $2.8M
Hurricane Sandy: 28 claims, $2.9M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Essex County.

Disasters that hit Belleville

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BellevilleDeclared for Essex County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

1,112 households applied for aid $3.8M aid approved $695K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$95K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$34K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$75K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1,031 households applied for aid $226K aid approved $977K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$120K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

361 households applied for aid $729K aid approved $177K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$63K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $16K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

104 households applied for aid $110K aid approved $59K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$66K to the Township of Belleville for repairs

Essex County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Belleville

Belleville and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lyndhurstmostly inland floodingHigh

Bellevillemostly inland floodingHigh

Nutleymostly inland floodingHigh

Kearnymostly inland floodingHigh

Bloomfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

North Arlingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Newarkmostly 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. Belleville covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Belleville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Belleville. 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 Belleville total about $12.8M 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.