Natural hazards · Garfield

Garfield, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Garfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 307 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Garfield?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Garfield to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Earthquakes10%Heat waves5%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Garfield faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

WildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Garfield flood?

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

307paid claims since 1978

$5.7Mpaid to owners

38homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 105 claims, $3.0M
Hurricane Floyd: 43 claims, $404K
Hurricane Ida: 41 claims, $1.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Garfield 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 Garfield

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GarfieldDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

448 households applied for aid $981K aid approved $535K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$29K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$72K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

465 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $240K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$30K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

339 households applied for aid $732K aid approved $99K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$41K to the City of Garfield for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $169 aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

92 households applied for aid $136K aid approved $25K to the City of Garfield for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$92K to the City of Garfield for repairs

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

Around Garfield

Garfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wallingtonmostly inland floodingVery high

South Hackensackmostly coastal floodingVery high

Lodimostly inland floodingHigh

Saddle Brookmostly inland floodingHigh

Garfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Passaicmostly inland floodingModerate

Elmwood Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Cliftonmostly 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. Garfield covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Garfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Garfield. 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 Garfield total about $6.5M 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.