Natural hazards · Pennington

Pennington, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pennington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Pennington?

41
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding56%Hurricanes15%Strong wind10%Everything else19%
By hazard

What Pennington faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 46% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

15% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 9 years in the area

Strong wind

10% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places
Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Pennington flood?

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

5paid claims since 1979
$29Kpaid to owners
1homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $12K
  • Hurricane Ida: 1 claim, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Pennington isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Mercer County.
Disasters that hit Pennington

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PenningtonDeclared for Mercer County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

105 households applied for aid $255K aid approved
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Borough of Pennington for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

51 households applied for aid $14K aid approved $151K to the Borough of Pennington for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

79 households applied for aid $117K aid approved $45K to the Borough of Pennington for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Borough of Pennington for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

17 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $20K to the Borough of Pennington for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

3 households applied for aid $1K aid approved
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$13K to the Borough of Pennington for repairs
Mercer County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
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. Pennington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pennington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Pennington. 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 Pennington total about $1.1M 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.

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