Natural hazards · Elmer

Elmer, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elmer comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 1980. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Elmer?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elmer to be higher than in 7% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding38%Strong wind16%Earthquakes15%Heat waves7%Hurricanes6%Ice storms5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Elmer faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

15% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 7% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Elmer flood?

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

1paid claims since 1980

$28Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Salem County.

Disasters that hit Elmer

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElmerDeclared for Salem County only

2012

Hurricane Sandy

11 households applied for aid $8K aid approved $2K to the Borough of Elmer for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$2K to the Borough of Elmer for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

223 households applied for aid $446K aid approved $20K to the Borough of Elmer for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$4K to the Borough of Elmer for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$2K to the Borough of Elmer for repairs

Salem County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Elmer

Elmer and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pittsgrovemostly inland floodingVery low

Upper Pittsgrovemostly inland floodingVery low

Elmermostly 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. Elmer covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elmer’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Elmer. 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 Elmer total about $394K 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.