Natural hazards · Byram

Byram, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Byram comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1981. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Byram?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Byram to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding54%Cold waves22%Strong wind14%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Byram faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Byram flood?

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

10paid claims since 1981

$130Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $45K
March 2010 Nor'easter: 3 claims, $48K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $5K

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. Byram isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Sussex County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Byram

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ByramDeclared for Sussex County only

2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$81K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$39K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$95K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$54K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$11K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$2K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the Township of Byram for repairs

2000

Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides

$17K to the Township of Byram for repairs

Sussex County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Byram

Byram and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Byrammostly inland floodingModerate

Andovermostly inland floodingLow

Mount Olivemostly inland floodingLow

Hopatcongmostly cold wavesLow

Roxburymostly inland floodingLow

Stanhopemostly cold wavesLow

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. Byram covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Byram’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Byram. 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 Byram total about $3.9M 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.