Natural hazards · Middletown

Middletown, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Middletown comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,461 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 Middletown?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Middletown to be higher than in 61% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and strong winds.

Inland flooding38%Strong wind30%Heat waves11%Hurricanes6%Coastal flooding5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Middletown faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 40% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Strong wind

30% 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

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Coastal flooding

5% of expected damage

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

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 Middletown flood?

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

1,461paid claims since 1978

$60.1Mpaid to owners

135homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 878 claims, $54.0M
Hurricane Irene: 202 claims, $2.4M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 190 claims, $2.2M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (20) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Monmouth County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

63homes raised above flood level

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Middletown

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MiddletownDeclared for Monmouth County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$900K to the Township of Middletown for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$415K to the Township of Middletown for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

390 households applied for aid $86K aid approved $13.4M to the Township of Middletown for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

286 households applied for aid $553K aid approved $785K to the Township of Middletown for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$221K to the Township of Middletown for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

137 households applied for aid $165K aid approved $520K to the Township of Middletown for repairs

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

Around Middletown

Middletown and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Sea Brightmostly coastal floodingVery high

Highlandsmostly inland floodingVery high

Middletownmostly inland floodingHigh

Colts Neckmostly inland floodingHigh

Rumsonmostly inland floodingHigh

Holmdelmostly inland floodingModerate

Keansburgmostly inland floodingModerate

Atlantic Highlandsmostly inland floodingModerate

Red Bankmostly inland floodingModerate

Fair Havenmostly inland floodingModerate

Tinton Fallsmostly strong windsModerate

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. Middletown covers 15 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Middletown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Middletown. 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 Middletown total about $29.0M 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.