Natural hazards · Newton

Newton, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Newton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1996. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Newton?

30
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Newton to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding39%Cold waves31%Strong wind18%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Newton faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

31% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 35% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

18% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Newton flood?

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

5paid claims since 1996
$296Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19962026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 1 claim, $43K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Newton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Sussex County.
Disasters that hit Newton

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NewtonDeclared for Sussex County only
2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$66K to the Town of Newton for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

249 households applied for aid $22K aid approved $191K to the Town of Newton for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$29K to the Town of Newton for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

346 households applied for aid $691K aid approved $70K to the Town of Newton for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$6K to the Town of Newton for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $11K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $28K aid approved $18K to the Town of Newton for repairs
2000

Severe Storms, Flooding and Mudslides

$1.5M to the Town of Newton for repairs
Sussex County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Newton

Newton and the towns around it

Fredon: Low, mostly inland floodingAndover: Low, mostly inland floodingStillwater: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHampton: Low, mostly inland floodingGreen: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAndover: Low, mostly inland floodingByram: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSparta: Low, mostly inland floodingLafayette: Low, mostly inland floodingNewton: Low, mostly inland flooding NewtonFredonAndover
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Andovermostly inland floodingLow
Newtonmostly inland floodingLow
Fredonmostly 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. Newton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Newton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Newton. 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 Newton total about $3.0M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01