Natural hazards · Old Bridge

Old Bridge, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Old Bridge comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 98 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Old Bridge?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Old Bridge to be higher than in 41% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding64%Earthquakes7%Strong wind6%Hurricanes5%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Old Bridge faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 8 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat 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 Old Bridge flood?

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

98paid claims since 1978

$4.7Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 43 claims, $3.6M
Hurricane Irene: 19 claims, $642K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 6 claims, $118K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Old Bridge isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Middlesex County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

47flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Old Bridge

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Old BridgeDeclared for Middlesex County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

109 households applied for aid $103K aid approved $236K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$467K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1,094 households applied for aid $666K aid approved $1.5M to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$9K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

243 households applied for aid $675K aid approved $185K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$226K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

64 households applied for aid $125K aid approved $79K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

19 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $61K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$22K to the Township of Old Bridge for repairs

Middlesex County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Old Bridge

Old Bridge and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Spotswoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Matawanmostly inland floodingHigh

Aberdeenmostly inland floodingModerate

Monroemostly inland floodingModerate

East Brunswickmostly inland floodingModerate

Old Bridgemostly inland floodingModerate

Sayrevillemostly 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. Old Bridge covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Old Bridge’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Old Bridge. 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 Old Bridge total about $16.7M 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.