Natural hazards · Harrison

Harrison, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Harrison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1981. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Harrison?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Harrison to be higher than in 15% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding54%Heat waves8%Strong wind7%Hurricanes6%Earthquakes6%Cold waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Harrison faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 27% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 11 years in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Harrison flood?

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

3paid claims since 1981

$19Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Torrential rain: 1 claim, $8K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gloucester County.

Disasters that hit Harrison

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HarrisonDeclared for Gloucester County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

$164K to the Township of Harrison for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$10K to the Township of Harrison for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$7K to the Township of Harrison for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

$29K to the Township of Harrison for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$21K to the Township of Harrison for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$25K to the Township of Harrison for repairs

Gloucester County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Harrison

Harrison and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

East Greenwichmostly inland floodingLow

Woolwichmostly inland floodingVery low

South Harrisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Harrisonmostly inland floodingVery low

Mantuamostly inland floodingVery low

Glassboromostly inland floodingVery low

Elkmostly 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. Harrison covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Harrison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Harrison. 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 Harrison total about $3.4M 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.