Natural hazards · Lawrence

Lawrence, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawrence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 161 claims here since 1978. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lawrence?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawrence to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding66%Hurricanes10%Strong wind7%Earthquakes5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Lawrence faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

10% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Lawrence flood?

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

161paid claims since 1978

$8.9Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 41 claims, $3.7M
Hurricane Ida: 27 claims, $3.1M
Hurricane Floyd: 17 claims, $696K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Mercer County.

Disasters that hit Lawrence

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawrenceDeclared for Mercer County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

6 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Sandy

11 households applied for aid

2011

Hurricane Irene

8 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

Mercer County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Lawrence

Lawrence and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Trentonmostly inland floodingHigh

West Windsormostly inland floodingHigh

Ewingmostly inland floodingHigh

Lawrencemostly inland floodingHigh

Hamiltonmostly inland floodingModerate

Hopewellmostly inland floodingModerate

Princetonmostly 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. Lawrence covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lawrence’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Lawrence. 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 Lawrence total about $16.9M 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.