Natural hazards · Phillipsburg

Phillipsburg, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Phillipsburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 59 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Phillipsburg?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Phillipsburg to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding73%Cold waves13%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Phillipsburg faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

13% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 33% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Phillipsburg flood?

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

59paid claims since 1979

$2.9Mpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 2 claims, $1K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Warren County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

34flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

15homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Phillipsburg

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PhillipsburgDeclared for Warren County only

2023

Severe Storm and Flooding

$687K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

87 households applied for aid $92K aid approved

2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$177K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$87K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

189 households applied for aid $82K aid approved $122K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$6K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

126 households applied for aid $163K aid approved $136K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

113 households applied for aid $132K aid approved $44K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

149 households applied for aid $370K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

133 households applied for aid $465K aid approved $100K to the Town of Phillipsburg for repairs

Warren County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Phillipsburg

Phillipsburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Phillipsburgmostly inland floodingVery high

Lopatcongmostly inland floodingHigh

Pohatcongmostly inland floodingHigh

Eastonmostly inland floodingHigh

Williamsmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Phillipsburg covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Phillipsburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Phillipsburg. 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 Phillipsburg total about $8.7M 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.