Natural hazards · Long Beach

Long Beach, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Long Beach comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6,318 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 Long Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Long Beach to be higher than in 86% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and coastal flooding.

Inland flooding48%Coastal flooding37%Strong wind9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Long Beach faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

37% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

9% 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

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Long Beach flood?

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

6,318paid claims since 1978

$242Mpaid to owners

101homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 4,768 claims, $228M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 1,024 claims, $10.7M
Hurricane Gloria: 73 claims, $214K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (29) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Long Beach is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Ocean County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

19homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Long Beach

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Long BeachDeclared for Ocean County only

2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$139K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$156K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

15 households applied for aid $3K aid approved $11.0M to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$65K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$55K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$104K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$42K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

2009

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

$212K to the Township of Long Beach for repairs

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

Around Long Beach

Long Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Beach Havenmostly inland floodingVery high

Long Beachmostly inland floodingVery high

Ship Bottommostly inland floodingVery high

Surf Citymostly inland floodingVery high

Barnegat Lightmostly inland floodingVery high

Harvey Cedarsmostly inland floodingVery high

Eagleswoodmostly coastal floodingHigh

Staffordmostly inland floodingHigh

Oceanmostly inland floodingHigh

Little Egg Harbormostly inland floodingHigh

Barnegatmostly 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. Long Beach covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Long Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Long Beach. 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 Long Beach total about $9.3M 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.