Natural hazards · Paramus

Paramus, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Paramus comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 140 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Paramus?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding76%Earthquakes9%Hurricanes6%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Paramus faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 7 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Paramus flood?

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

140paid claims since 1978

$4.8Mpaid to owners

15homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 39 claims, $833K
Hurricane Floyd: 32 claims, $727K
Hurricane Ida: 26 claims, $2.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Bergen County.

Disasters that hit Paramus

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ParamusDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

305 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $200K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$466K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$340K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$107K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

198 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $1.4M to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$234K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

120 households applied for aid $244K aid approved $241K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$99K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

24 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $200K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

99 households applied for aid $82K aid approved $42K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$57K to the Borough of Paramus for repairs

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

Around Paramus

Paramus and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ridgewoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Rochelle Parkmostly inland floodingHigh

River Edgemostly inland floodingHigh

Hackensackmostly inland floodingModerate

Paramusmostly inland floodingModerate

Fair Lawnmostly inland floodingModerate

Washingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Oradellmostly inland floodingLow

Maywoodmostly inland floodingLow

Emersonmostly 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. Paramus covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Paramus’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Paramus. 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 Paramus total about $12.1M 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.