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Natural hazards · Jefferson

Jefferson, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Jefferson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 77 claims here since 1979. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Jefferson?

30
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Jefferson to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Cold waves11%Everything else22%
By hazard

What Jefferson faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningAvalanches

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtTsunamisVolcanic 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 Jefferson flood?

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

77paid claims since 1979
$1.2Mpaid to owners
10homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 19 claims, $539K
  • March 2010 Nor'easter: 7 claims, $178K
  • Not a named storm: 4 claims, $5K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JeffersonDeclared for Morris County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

$27K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$229K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$122K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$93K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$149K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

$592K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$70K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

$73K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$95K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$81K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
2000

Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides

$254K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$23K to the Township of Jefferson for repairs
Morris County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Jefferson

Jefferson and the towns around it

West Milford: High, mostly inland floodingHopatcong: Low, mostly cold wavesRoxbury: Low, mostly inland floodingRockaway: Low, mostly inland floodingMount Arlington: Very low, mostly inland floodingSparta: Low, mostly inland floodingHardyston: Low, mostly inland floodingKinnelon: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRingwood: High, mostly inland floodingBloomingdale: Very high, mostly inland floodingVernon: Low, mostly inland floodingButler: High, mostly inland floodingWarwick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingByram: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStanhope: Low, mostly cold wavesRandolph: Low, mostly inland floodingMine Hill: Low, mostly inland floodingMount Olive: Low, mostly inland floodingNetcong: Very low, mostly inland floodingWharton: Low, mostly inland floodingChester: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDenville: High, mostly inland floodingRockaway: High, mostly inland floodingDover: Very high, mostly inland floodingBoonton: Very high, mostly inland floodingOgdensburg: Low, mostly inland floodingLafayette: Low, mostly inland floodingAndover: Low, mostly inland floodingWantage: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHamburg: High, mostly inland floodingFranklin: Moderate, mostly inland floodingJefferson: Low, mostly inland flooding JeffersonWest MilfordHopatcongRoxburyRockawayMount ArlingtonSpartaHardyston
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
West Milfordmostly inland floodingHigh
Jeffersonmostly inland floodingLow
Rockawaymostly inland floodingLow
Hardystonmostly inland floodingLow
Spartamostly inland floodingLow
Hopatcongmostly cold wavesLow
Roxburymostly inland floodingLow
Mount Arlingtonmostly 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. Jefferson covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Jefferson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Jefferson. 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 Jefferson total about $5.7M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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