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Natural hazards · Bethlehem

Bethlehem, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bethlehem comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1989. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Bethlehem?

38
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bethlehem to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Strong wind10%Everything else22%
By hazard

What Bethlehem faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Bethlehem flood?

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

5paid claims since 1989
$58Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19892026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $38K

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
No community discount. Bethlehem isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Hunterdon County.
Disasters that hit Bethlehem

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BethlehemDeclared for Hunterdon County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

$41K to the Township of Bethlehem for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$42K to the Township of Bethlehem for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$49K to the Township of Bethlehem for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$35K to the Township of Bethlehem for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$16K to the Township of Bethlehem for repairs
Hunterdon County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Bethlehem

Bethlehem and the towns around it

Franklin: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlexandria: High, mostly inland floodingHolland: High, mostly inland floodingBloomsbury: Low, mostly inland floodingHampton: High, mostly inland floodingLebanon: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGlen Gardner: High, mostly inland floodingUnion: Low, mostly inland floodingWashington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPohatcong: High, mostly inland floodingHarmony: High, mostly inland floodingGreenwich: High, mostly inland floodingFrenchtown: High, mostly inland floodingFranklin: Low, mostly inland floodingTinicum: Moderate, mostly inland floodingKingwood: High, mostly inland floodingMilford: High, mostly inland floodingBridgeton: Very high, mostly inland floodingDurham: High, mostly inland floodingRiegelsville: High, mostly inland floodingNockamixon: Low, mostly inland floodingMansfield: Low, mostly inland floodingTewksbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCalifon: Moderate, mostly inland floodingClinton: Low, mostly inland floodingWashington: Low, mostly inland floodingHigh Bridge: High, mostly inland floodingClinton: Very high, mostly inland floodingOxford: Low, mostly inland floodingWilliams: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPhillipsburg: Very high, mostly inland floodingLopatcong: High, mostly inland floodingBethlehem: Low, mostly inland flooding BethlehemFranklinAlexandriaHollandBloomsburyHamptonLebanonGlen GardnerUnionWashingtonPohatcong
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Hamptonmostly inland floodingHigh
Glen Gardnermostly inland floodingHigh
Pohatcongmostly inland floodingHigh
Alexandriamostly inland floodingHigh
Hollandmostly inland floodingHigh
Lebanonmostly inland floodingModerate
Washingtonmostly inland floodingModerate
Franklinmostly inland floodingModerate
Bethlehemmostly inland floodingLow
Bloomsburymostly inland floodingLow
Unionmostly 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. Bethlehem covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bethlehem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Bethlehem. 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 Bethlehem total about $2.0M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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