Natural hazards · Hoboken

Hoboken, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Hoboken comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,621 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Hoboken?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Hoboken to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Hoboken faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Hoboken flood?

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

1,621paid claims since 1979

$56.3Mpaid to owners

284homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 1,042 claims, $46.3M
Hurricane Ida: 201 claims, $4.9M
Hurricane Irene: 149 claims, $2.7M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 5 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (23) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hudson County.

Disasters that hit Hoboken

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HobokenDeclared for Hudson County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

461 households applied for aid $780K aid approved $332K to the City of Hoboken for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$122K to the City of Hoboken for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

5,261 households applied for aid $6.2M aid approved $4.6M to the City of Hoboken for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

149 households applied for aid $252K aid approved $283K to the City of Hoboken for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$66K to the City of Hoboken for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

31 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $55K to the City of Hoboken for repairs

Hudson County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Hoboken

Hoboken and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hobokenmostly inland floodingVery high

Jersey Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Weehawkenmostly inland floodingModerate

Union Citymostly inland floodingModerate

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. Hoboken covers 16 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Hoboken’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Hoboken. 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 Hoboken total about $36.2M 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.