Natural hazards · Oakland

Oakland, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oakland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 556 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Oakland?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oakland to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding86%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Oakland faces

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

Inland flooding

86% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% 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 Oakland flood?

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

556paid claims since 1978

$10.5Mpaid to owners

68homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Floyd: 123 claims, $2.2M
Hurricane Irene: 112 claims, $5.1M
Torrential rain: 49 claims, $847K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (33) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bergen County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

4homes raised above flood level

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Oakland

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OaklandDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

91 households applied for aid $168K aid approved $121K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$82K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$48K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

61 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $164K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$27K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

197 households applied for aid $607K aid approved $143K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$55K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $37K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

29 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $26K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

49 households applied for aid $32K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$143K to the Borough of Oakland for repairs

Bergen County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Oakland

Oakland and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oaklandmostly inland floodingHigh

Waynemostly inland floodingModerate

Mahwahmostly inland floodingLow

Franklin Lakesmostly 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. Oakland covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oakland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Oakland. 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 Oakland total about $6.0M 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.