Natural hazards · Cranbury

Cranbury, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cranbury comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 29 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cranbury?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cranbury to be higher than in 66% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Earthquakes7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Cranbury 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 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Cranbury flood?

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

29paid claims since 1978

$839Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 14 claims, $616K
Tropical Storm Henri: 5 claims, $185K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 3 claims, $22K

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

Insurance rates: Middlesex County.

Disasters that hit Cranbury

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CranburyDeclared for Middlesex County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

21 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Sandy

43 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $249K to the Township of Cranbury for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

38 households applied for aid $123K aid approved $15K to the Township of Cranbury for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$20K to the Township of Cranbury for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7K to the Township of Cranbury for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

8 households applied for aid $37K aid approved $42K to the Township of Cranbury for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3K to the Township of Cranbury for repairs

Middlesex County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Cranbury

Cranbury and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Plainsboromostly inland floodingVery high

East Windsormostly inland floodingVery high

Cranburymostly inland floodingHigh

Monroemostly inland floodingModerate

South Brunswickmostly 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. Cranbury covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cranbury’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Cranbury. 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 Cranbury total about $6.9M 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.