Natural hazards · Caldwell

Caldwell, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Caldwell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2007. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Caldwell?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Caldwell to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Heat waves11%Earthquakes8%Tornadoes5%Cold waves5%Hurricanes5%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Caldwell faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 30% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Caldwell flood?

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

2paid claims since 2007

$102Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20072026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $97K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Caldwell 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 Caldwell

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaldwellDeclared for Essex County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

192 households applied for aid $509K aid approved $2.0M to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$119K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$64K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$15K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

110 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $165K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$152K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

43 households applied for aid $56K aid approved $46K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$23K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $37K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $22K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$25K to the Borough of Caldwell for repairs

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

Around Caldwell

Caldwell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Caldwellmostly inland floodingLow

North Caldwellmostly inland floodingLow

Essex Fellsmostly inland floodingLow

Caldwellmostly 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. Caldwell covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Caldwell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Caldwell. 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 Caldwell total about $1.8M 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.