Natural hazards · Lower

Lower, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lower comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 190 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 Lower?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lower to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding40%Hurricanes18%Coastal flooding14%Heat waves11%Strong wind9%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Lower faces

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

Inland flooding

40% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Coastal flooding

14% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

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

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Lower flood?

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

190paid claims since 1978

$4.1Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 62 claims, $1.9M
The “Halloween” storm: 8 claims, $197K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 8 claims, $142K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cape May County.

Disasters that hit Lower

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LowerDeclared for Cape May County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$55K to the Township of Lower for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$317K to the Township of Lower for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$174K to the Township of Lower for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$374K to the Township of Lower for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$8K to the Township of Lower for repairs

2009

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

$111K to the Township of Lower for repairs

Cape May County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Lower

Lower and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wildwoodmostly coastal floodingVery high

West Cape Maymostly inland floodingHigh

Cape May Pointmostly inland floodingHigh

Wildwood Crestmostly inland floodingHigh

Middlemostly inland floodingHigh

Lowermostly inland floodingHigh

Cape Maymostly 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. Lower covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lower’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Lower. 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 Lower total about $9.2M 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.