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Natural hazards · Ocean

Ocean, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ocean comes from strong winds, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 945 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Ocean?

48
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ocean to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from strong winds and inland flooding.

Strong wind38%Inland flooding36%Hurricanes8%Heat waves6%Earthquakes5%Everything else8%
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.

Strong wind

38% of expected damage
Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Inland flooding

36% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Ocean flood?

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

945paid claims since 1978
$33.7Mpaid to owners
57homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Sandy: 485 claims, $25.3M
  • December Storm - Nor'easter: 121 claims, $1.5M
  • Torrential rain: 50 claims, $1.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (14) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Ocean is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Monmouth County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2homes raised above flood level
1buildings floodproofed
Disasters that hit Ocean

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OceanDeclared for Monmouth County only
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$114K to the Township of Ocean for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$153K to the Township of Ocean for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

443 households applied for aid $59K aid approved $1.7M to the Township of Ocean for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

129 households applied for aid $180K aid approved $186K to the Township of Ocean for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$192K to the Township of Ocean for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $43K to the Township of Ocean for repairs
Monmouth County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.
Around Ocean

Ocean and the towns around it

Eatontown: High, mostly inland floodingWest Long Branch: Moderate, mostly inland floodingInterlaken: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDeal: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAsbury Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNeptune: Moderate, mostly strong windsAllenhurst: Moderate, mostly inland floodingTinton Falls: Moderate, mostly strong windsShrewsbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOceanport: High, mostly inland floodingLong Branch: High, mostly inland floodingLoch Arbour: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWall: Moderate, mostly strong windsNeptune City: Moderate, mostly strong windsBelmar: Moderate, mostly strong windsBradley Beach: Moderate, mostly strong windsAvon-by-the-Sea: Moderate, mostly strong windsColts Neck: High, mostly inland floodingMiddletown: High, mostly inland floodingShrewsbury: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRed Bank: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOcean: Moderate, mostly strong winds OceanEatontownWest Long BranchInterlakenDealAsbury ParkNeptuneAllenhurstTinton Falls
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Eatontownmostly inland floodingHigh
West Long Branchmostly inland floodingModerate
Asbury Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Interlakenmostly inland floodingModerate
Dealmostly inland floodingModerate
Allenhurstmostly inland floodingModerate
Tinton Fallsmostly strong windsModerate
Oceanmostly strong windsModerate
Neptunemostly strong windsModerate
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 7 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 Township 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 $9.0M 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.

The door’s open

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You’re in Ocean, NJMonmouth CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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