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Natural hazards · Dover

Dover, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Dover comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 530 claims here since 1978. 13 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Dover?

80
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Dover to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding79%Cold waves8%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Dover 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
Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Dover flood?

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

530paid claims since 1978
$7.6Mpaid to owners
52homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 74 claims, $2.0M
  • Hurricane Floyd: 65 claims, $822K
  • Not a named storm: 37 claims, $132K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (20) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Dover isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Morris County.
Disasters that hit Dover

13 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DoverDeclared for Morris County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

64 households applied for aid $68K aid approved
2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$62K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$58K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$57K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

212 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $149K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$30K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

159 households applied for aid $276K aid approved $49K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $30K aid approved $29K to the Town of Dover for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

1 household applied for aid
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2000

Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides

$6K to the Town of Dover for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$65K to the Town of Dover for repairs
Morris County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Dover

Dover and the towns around it

Wharton: Low, mostly inland floodingRockaway: Low, mostly inland floodingRandolph: Low, mostly inland floodingMine Hill: Low, mostly inland floodingRoxbury: Low, mostly inland floodingDenville: High, mostly inland floodingWest Milford: High, mostly inland floodingRockaway: High, mostly inland floodingJefferson: Low, mostly inland floodingBoonton: Very high, mostly inland floodingKinnelon: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingVictory Gardens: Very low, mostly inland floodingMendham: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDover: Very high, mostly inland flooding DoverWhartonRockawayRandolphMine Hill
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Dovermostly inland floodingVery high
Whartonmostly inland floodingLow
Rockawaymostly inland floodingLow
Randolphmostly inland floodingLow
Mine Hillmostly 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. Dover covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Dover’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Dover. 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 Dover total about $7.2M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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