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Natural hazards · Hillsborough

Hillsborough, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hillsborough comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 196 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Hillsborough?

45
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hillsborough to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding72%Everything else28%
By hazard

What Hillsborough 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 66% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Hillsborough flood?

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

196paid claims since 1978
$11.9Mpaid to owners
27homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 54 claims, $4.1M
  • Hurricane Ida: 44 claims, $4.6M
  • Hurricane Floyd: 31 claims, $1.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (14) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

18homes raised above flood level
15flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Hillsborough

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HillsboroughDeclared for Somerset County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

1,004 households applied for aid $3.7M aid approved $565K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$157K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

402 households applied for aid $100K aid approved $287K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$12K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

340 households applied for aid $988K aid approved $119K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$103K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $62K aid approved
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

40 households applied for aid $119K aid approved $9K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$147K to the Township of Hillsborough for repairs
Somerset County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Hillsborough

Hillsborough and the towns around it

Branchburg: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFranklin: Moderate, mostly inland floodingManville: High, mostly inland floodingReadington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMontgomery: High, mostly inland floodingMillstone: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBridgewater: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRaritan: High, mostly inland floodingSomerville: High, mostly inland floodingEast Amwell: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRaritan: Low, mostly inland floodingBedminster: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNew Brunswick: High, mostly inland floodingSouth Brunswick: Low, mostly inland floodingPiscataway: High, mostly inland floodingRocky Hill: High, mostly inland floodingPrinceton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Brunswick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Bound Brook: Very high, mostly inland floodingTewksbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingClinton: Low, mostly inland floodingHopewell: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBound Brook: Very high, mostly inland floodingMiddlesex: Very high, mostly inland floodingWarren: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBernards: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGreen Brook: High, mostly inland floodingWest Amwell: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDelaware: High, mostly inland floodingFranklin: Low, mostly inland floodingHillsborough: Moderate, mostly inland flooding HillsboroughBranchburgFranklinManvilleReadingtonMontgomeryMillstoneBridgewaterRaritanSomervilleEast AmwellRaritan
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Manvillemostly inland floodingHigh
Montgomerymostly inland floodingHigh
Somervillemostly inland floodingHigh
Raritanmostly inland floodingHigh
Readingtonmostly inland floodingModerate
Millstonemostly inland floodingModerate
Branchburgmostly inland floodingModerate
Bridgewatermostly inland floodingModerate
Franklinmostly inland floodingModerate
East Amwellmostly inland floodingModerate
Hillsboroughmostly inland floodingModerate
Raritanmostly 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. Hillsborough covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hillsborough’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Hillsborough. 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 Hillsborough total about $15.7M 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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You’re in Hillsborough, NJSomerset CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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