Natural hazards · Cranford

Cranford, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cranford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,484 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cranford?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cranford to be higher than in 54% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Earthquakes11%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Cranford faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% 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 Cranford flood?

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

1,484paid claims since 1978

$53.3Mpaid to owners

292homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 463 claims, $29.7M
April 2007 Nor'easter: 298 claims, $6.0M
Hurricane Ida: 297 claims, $12.6M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 5 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (111) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Cranford is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Union County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

100homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Cranford

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CranfordDeclared for Union County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

664 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $1.3M to the Township of Cranford for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$84K to the Township of Cranford for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

263 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $557K to the Township of Cranford for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$147K to the Township of Cranford for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

1,453 households applied for aid $5.7M aid approved $1.4M to the Township of Cranford for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$50K to the Township of Cranford for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

266 households applied for aid $191K aid approved $475K to the Township of Cranford for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$274K to the Township of Cranford for repairs

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

Around Cranford

Cranford and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Springfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Winfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Cranfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Clarkmostly inland floodingModerate

Kenilworthmostly inland floodingLow

Westfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Lindenmostly inland floodingLow

Roselle Parkmostly inland floodingVery low

Rosellemostly inland floodingVery low

Garwoodmostly 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. Cranford covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cranford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Cranford. 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 Cranford total about $9.2M 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.