Natural hazards · Lavallette

Lavallette, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lavallette comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,840 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lavallette?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lavallette to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding68%Coastal flooding14%Strong wind11%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Lavallette 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

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

14% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

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 Lavallette flood?

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

1,840paid claims since 1978

$133Mpaid to owners

49homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 1,602 claims, $131M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 98 claims, $725K
Hurricane Irene: 44 claims, $783K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Lavallette is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Ocean County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

46homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Lavallette

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LavalletteDeclared for Ocean County only

2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$12K to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$33K to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

4,239 households applied for aid $16.6M aid approved $7.4M to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

108 households applied for aid $150K aid approved $47K to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$47K to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $905 aid approved

2009

Snowstorm

$40K to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'eas

$55K to the Borough of Lavallette for repairs

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

Around Lavallette

Lavallette and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lavallettemostly inland floodingVery high

Toms Rivermostly inland floodingHigh

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. Lavallette covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lavallette’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Lavallette. 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 Lavallette total about $2.5M 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.