Natural hazards · Clifton

Clifton, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clifton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 125 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 Clifton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clifton to be higher than in 31% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Earthquakes9%Heat waves6%Cold waves6%Strong wind6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Clifton 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

Above average · higher than 52% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Clifton flood?

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

125paid claims since 1978

$7.8Mpaid to owners

13homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 36 claims, $4.3M
Hurricane Irene: 23 claims, $1.7M
Hurricane Floyd: 15 claims, $819K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Passaic County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Clifton

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CliftonDeclared for Passaic County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

2,040 households applied for aid $7.2M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Clifton for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$52K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1,081 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $673K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$204K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$391K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

597 households applied for aid $984K aid approved $121K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$100K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $17K aid approved $110K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

197 households applied for aid $348K aid approved $62K to the City of Clifton for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $17K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$84K to the City of Clifton for repairs

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

Around Clifton

Clifton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Rutherfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Little Fallsmostly inland floodingHigh

Nutleymostly inland floodingHigh

Woodland Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Patersonmostly inland floodingModerate

Garfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Passaicmostly inland floodingModerate

Cliftonmostly inland floodingLow

Montclairmostly 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. Clifton covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Clifton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Clifton. 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 Clifton total about $17.5M 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.