Natural hazards · Clayton

Clayton, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clayton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1980. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clayton?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clayton to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding50%Heat waves11%Cold waves8%Earthquakes7%Strong wind7%Hurricanes6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Clayton faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Clayton flood?

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

5paid claims since 1980

$95Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 2 claims, $10K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 1 claim, $5K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gloucester County.

Disasters that hit Clayton

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClaytonDeclared for Gloucester County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

20 households applied for aid

2015

Severe Storm

$97K to the Borough of Clayton for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

19 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $13K to the Borough of Clayton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

227 households applied for aid $259K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

85 households applied for aid $69K aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$17K to the Borough of Clayton for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$21K to the Borough of Clayton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

31 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

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

Around Clayton

Clayton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Claytonmostly inland floodingVery low

Franklinmostly inland floodingVery low

Monroemostly inland floodingVery low

Glassboromostly inland floodingVery low

Elkmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Clayton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clayton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Clayton. 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 Clayton total about $1.6M 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.