Natural hazards · Bloomfield

Bloomfield, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bloomfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 520 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bloomfield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bloomfield to be higher than in 73% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Heat waves8%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Bloomfield faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bloomfield flood?

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

520paid claims since 1978

$10.6Mpaid to owners

36homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 163 claims, $7.6M
Hurricane Irene: 121 claims, $1.2M
Hurricane Floyd: 117 claims, $991K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Bloomfield 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 Bloomfield

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BloomfieldDeclared for Essex County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

1,594 households applied for aid $5.8M aid approved $1.4M to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$192K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$20K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$124K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

724 households applied for aid $52K aid approved $663K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$193K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

462 households applied for aid $747K aid approved $130K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$99K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $62K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

171 households applied for aid $137K aid approved $94K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$75K to the Township of Bloomfield for repairs

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

Around Bloomfield

Bloomfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bellevillemostly inland floodingHigh

Nutleymostly inland floodingHigh

Bloomfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Newarkmostly inland floodingModerate

Glen Ridgemostly inland floodingLow

East Orangemostly 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. Bloomfield covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bloomfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Bloomfield. 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 Bloomfield total about $14.5M 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.