Natural hazards · Middle

Middle, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Middle comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 738 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 Middle?

High

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding29%Coastal flooding21%Hurricanes19%Heat waves11%Strong wind10%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Middle faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

21% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

19% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

10% 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 Middle flood?

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

738paid claims since 1978

$9.9Mpaid to owners

82homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 195 claims, $5.6M
Hurricane Gloria: 54 claims, $462K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 46 claims, $405K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (15) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cape May County.

Disasters that hit Middle

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MiddleDeclared for Cape May County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$20K to the Township of Middle for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$847K to the Township of Middle for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$57K to the Township of Middle for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$332K to the Township of Middle for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$190K to the Township of Middle for repairs

2009

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

$235K to the Township of Middle for repairs

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

Around Middle

Middle and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

North Wildwoodmostly coastal floodingVery high

West Wildwoodmostly coastal floodingVery high

Wildwoodmostly coastal floodingVery high

Sea Isle Citymostly inland floodingVery high

Avalonmostly inland floodingVery high

Stone Harbormostly inland floodingVery high

Middlemostly inland floodingHigh

Lowermostly inland floodingHigh

Dennismostly 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. Middle covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Middle’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Middle. 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 Middle total about $11.6M 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.