Natural hazards · Passaic

Passaic, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Passaic comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 140 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Passaic?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Passaic to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding63%Earthquakes7%Cold waves6%Heat waves6%Strong wind6%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Passaic faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

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

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 5% of U.S. places

Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Passaic flood?

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

140paid claims since 1978

$16.5Mpaid to owners

10homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 44 claims, $5.3M
Hurricane Ida: 32 claims, $4.3M
Hurricane Floyd: 15 claims, $1.1M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Passaic County.

Disasters that hit Passaic

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PassaicDeclared for Passaic County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

817 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved $3.5M to the City of Passaic for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1,068 households applied for aid $54K aid approved $503K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$177K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

448 households applied for aid $710K aid approved $211K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$69K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $1K aid approved $106K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

96 households applied for aid $103K aid approved $36K to the City of Passaic for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$50K to the City of Passaic for repairs

Passaic County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Passaic

Passaic and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wallingtonmostly inland floodingVery high

Rutherfordmostly inland floodingHigh

Garfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Passaicmostly inland floodingModerate

Cliftonmostly 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. Passaic covers 17 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Passaic’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Passaic. 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 Passaic total about $12.6M 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.