Natural hazards · Matawan

Matawan, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Matawan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Matawan?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Matawan to be higher than in 64% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding41%Strong wind27%Heat waves14%Earthquakes5%Hurricanes5%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Matawan faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

14% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Matawan flood?

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

13paid claims since 1978

$131Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

December Storm - Nor'easter: 4 claims, $26K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $86K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Monmouth County.

Disasters that hit Matawan

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MatawanDeclared for Monmouth County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

31 households applied for aid $54K aid approved

2012

Hurricane Sandy

775 households applied for aid $163K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

238 households applied for aid $523K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

18 households applied for aid $16K aid approved

Monmouth County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Matawan

Matawan and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Matawanmostly inland floodingHigh

Marlboromostly inland floodingHigh

Aberdeenmostly inland floodingModerate

Old Bridgemostly 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. Matawan covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Matawan’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Matawan. 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 Matawan total about $3.3M 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.