Natural hazards · Newark

Newark, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newark comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 222 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Newark?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newark to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Heat waves11%Earthquakes8%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Newark faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Newark flood?

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

222paid claims since 1978

$26.0Mpaid to owners

27homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 44 claims, $12.4M
Hurricane Ida: 36 claims, $7.6M
Hurricane Irene: 18 claims, $2.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Essex County.

Disasters that hit Newark

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NewarkDeclared for Essex County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

5,865 households applied for aid $16.3M aid approved $3.8M to the City of Newark for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$736K to the City of Newark for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$156K to the City of Newark for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$1.4M to the City of Newark for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

13,271 households applied for aid $3.1M aid approved $4.4M to the City of Newark for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$7K to the City of Newark for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

2,122 households applied for aid $3.3M aid approved

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$469K to the City of Newark for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

36 households applied for aid $50K aid approved $13K to the City of Newark for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

176 households applied for aid $172K aid approved $96K to the City of Newark for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$446K to the City of Newark for repairs

Essex County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Newark

Newark and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

East Newarkmostly inland floodingVery high

Harrisonmostly inland floodingVery high

Bellevillemostly inland floodingHigh

Kearnymostly inland floodingHigh

Bloomfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

South Orange Villagemostly inland floodingModerate

Newarkmostly inland floodingModerate

Irvingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Bayonnemostly inland floodingModerate

Maplewoodmostly inland floodingLow

Elizabethmostly inland floodingLow

Hillsidemostly inland floodingLow

East Orangemostly inland floodingLow

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. Newark covers 88 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Newark’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Newark. 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 Newark total about $66.2M 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.