Natural hazards · Hackensack

Hackensack, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hackensack comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 416 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hackensack?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding72%Earthquakes9%Hurricanes5%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Hackensack faces

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

Inland flooding

72% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Hackensack flood?

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

416paid claims since 1978

$20.2Mpaid to owners

77homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 84 claims, $4.4M
Hurricane Ida: 77 claims, $7.9M
Hurricane Sandy: 45 claims, $3.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (18) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Hackensack 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Hackensack

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HackensackDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

771 households applied for aid $2.1M aid approved $424K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$131K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$47K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$76K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1,356 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $1.1M to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$131K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

341 households applied for aid $765K aid approved $233K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$131K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $96K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

185 households applied for aid $190K aid approved $94K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$30K to the City of Hackensack for repairs

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

Around Hackensack

Hackensack and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Hackensackmostly coastal floodingVery high

River Edgemostly inland floodingHigh

Lodimostly inland floodingHigh

Bogotamostly inland floodingModerate

Hackensackmostly inland floodingModerate

Paramusmostly inland floodingModerate

Ridgefield Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Hasbrouck Heightsmostly inland floodingLow

Teaneckmostly inland floodingLow

Maywoodmostly 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. Hackensack covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hackensack’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hackensack. 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 Hackensack total about $12.9M 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.