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Natural hazards · Ocean

Ocean, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ocean comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7,807 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Ocean?

92
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ocean to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and coastal flooding.

Inland flooding42%Coastal flooding41%Hurricanes11%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Ocean faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

41% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ocean flood?

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

7,807paid claims since 1978
$189Mpaid to owners
559homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 4,709 claims, $163M
  • December Storm - Nor'easter: 1,061 claims, $9.6M
  • Hurricane Gloria: 248 claims, $1.1M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 10 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (75) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 30% off flood insurance. Ocean is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 4) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Cape May County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

307homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Ocean

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OceanDeclared for Cape May County only
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$54K to the City of Ocean for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$143K to the City of Ocean for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

3,236 households applied for aid $5.5M aid approved $8.2M to the City of Ocean for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

69 households applied for aid $38K aid approved $104K to the City of Ocean for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$147K to the City of Ocean for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $34K aid approved
2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'eas

$1.3M to the City of Ocean for repairs
Cape May County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around Ocean

Ocean and the towns around it

Upper: High, mostly inland floodingEgg Harbor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSomers Point: High, mostly inland floodingLongport: Very high, mostly inland floodingEstell Manor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCorbin City: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDennis: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSea Isle City: Very high, mostly inland floodingMaurice River: High, mostly coastal floodingHamilton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGalloway: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLinwood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMargate City: Very high, mostly inland floodingPleasantville: High, mostly inland floodingAtlantic City: Very high, mostly inland floodingOcean City: Very high, mostly inland flooding Ocean CityUpperEgg HarborSomers PointLongport
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Ocean Citymostly inland floodingVery high
Longportmostly inland floodingVery high
Somers Pointmostly inland floodingHigh
Uppermostly inland floodingHigh
Egg Harbormostly inland floodingModerate
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. Ocean covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ocean’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Ocean. 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 Ocean total about $24.4M 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
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