Natural hazards · Demarest

Demarest, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Demarest comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 25 claims here since 1990. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Demarest?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Demarest to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Hurricanes6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Demarest faces

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

Inland flooding

79% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Demarest flood?

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

25paid claims since 1990

$320Kpaid to owners

4homes flooded more than once

19902026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 5 claims, $180K
Hurricane Floyd: 4 claims, $13K
Hurricane Irene: 4 claims, $29K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bergen County.

Disasters that hit Demarest

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DemarestDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

73 households applied for aid $229K aid approved $882K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$34K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$20K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

35 households applied for aid $11K aid approved $242K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$39K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

9 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $31K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $76K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

16 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $12K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$23K to the Borough of Demarest for repairs

Bergen County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Demarest

Demarest and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Demarestmostly inland floodingModerate

Cresskillmostly inland floodingLow

Clostermostly inland floodingLow

Haworthmostly inland floodingVery low

Alpinemostly 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. Demarest covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Demarest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Demarest. 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 Demarest 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.