Natural hazards · Lacey

Lacey, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lacey comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,767 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lacey?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lacey to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding62%Strong wind14%Coastal flooding6%Hurricanes5%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Lacey faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Strong wind

14% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Lacey flood?

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

1,767paid claims since 1978

$52.9Mpaid to owners

89homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 1,353 claims, $48.3M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 118 claims, $1.5M
The “Halloween” storm: 40 claims, $416K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (21) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Ocean County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Lacey

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LaceyDeclared for Ocean County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$168K to the Township of Lacey for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$1.4M to the Township of Lacey for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$32K to the Township of Lacey for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$122K to the Township of Lacey for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$33K to the Township of Lacey for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$105K to the Township of Lacey for repairs

Ocean County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and hurricanes.

Around Lacey

Lacey and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Laceymostly inland floodingHigh

Oceanmostly inland floodingHigh

Berkeleymostly inland floodingHigh

Barnegatmostly inland floodingModerate

Woodlandmostly inland floodingModerate

Manchestermostly 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. Lacey covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lacey’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Lacey. 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 Lacey total about $11.0M 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.