Natural hazards · North Plainfield

North Plainfield, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in North Plainfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 523 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is North Plainfield?

85
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in North Plainfield to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding87%Everything else13%
By hazard

What North Plainfield faces

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

Inland flooding

87% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 North Plainfield flood?

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

523paid claims since 1978
$13.3Mpaid to owners
105homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • 2025 July NYC Metro Area Flooding: 106 claims, $6.8M
  • Hurricane Ida: 97 claims, $3.5M
  • Hurricane Irene: 85 claims, $874K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (22) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 10% off flood insurance. North Plainfield is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 8) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Somerset County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit North Plainfield

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in North Plainfield itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of North Plainfield.

Brought FEMA money into North PlainfieldDeclared for Somerset County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

352 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved $401K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$538K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$81K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

875 households applied for aid $177K aid approved $1.2M to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$56K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

238 households applied for aid $397K aid approved $153K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $62K aid approved $72K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

42 households applied for aid $22K aid approved
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$113K to the Borough of North Plainfield for repairs
Somerset County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around North Plainfield

North Plainfield and the towns around it

Plainfield: Very high, mostly inland floodingWatchung: High, mostly inland floodingGreen Brook: High, mostly inland floodingScotch Plains: High, mostly inland floodingDunellen: Very high, mostly inland floodingBerkeley Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWarren: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMiddlesex: Very high, mostly inland floodingBridgewater: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Plainfield: Very high, mostly inland flooding North PlainfieldPlainfieldWatchungGreen Brook
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
North Plainfieldmostly inland floodingVery high
Plainfieldmostly inland floodingVery high
Green Brookmostly inland floodingHigh
Watchungmostly inland floodingHigh
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. North Plainfield covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to North Plainfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of North Plainfield. 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 North Plainfield total about $12.3M 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