Natural hazards · Monroe

Monroe, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Monroe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 128 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 Monroe?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Monroe to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding51%Heat waves10%Hurricanes9%Cold waves7%Earthquakes6%Strong wind6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Monroe faces

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

Inland flooding

51% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Monroe flood?

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

128paid claims since 1978

$5.6Mpaid to owners

13homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 52 claims, $2.8M
Tropical Storm Henri: 25 claims, $2.3M
April 2007 Nor'easter: 9 claims, $36K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gloucester County.

Disasters that hit Monroe

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MonroeDeclared for Gloucester County only

2015

Severe Storm

$140K to the Township of Monroe for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$52K to the Township of Monroe for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$32K to the Township of Monroe for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$13K to the Township of Monroe for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$56K to the Township of Monroe for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$61K to the Township of Monroe for repairs

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

Around Monroe

Monroe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Franklinmostly inland floodingVery low

Claytonmostly inland floodingVery low

Monroemostly inland floodingVery low

Winslowmostly inland floodingVery low

Washingtonmostly inland floodingVery low

Glassboromostly inland floodingVery low

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. Monroe covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Monroe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Monroe. 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 Monroe total about $7.1M 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.