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Natural hazards · Plainfield

Plainfield, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Plainfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 961 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Plainfield?

85
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

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

Inland flooding85%Everything else15%
By hazard

What Plainfield faces

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

Inland flooding

85% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Plainfield flood?

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

961paid claims since 1979
$13.5Mpaid to owners
176homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ida: 210 claims, $4.8M
  • 2025 July NYC Metro Area Flooding: 169 claims, $4.6M
  • Hurricane Irene: 155 claims, $1.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 3 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (17) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Plainfield

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PlainfieldDeclared for Union County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

929 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$114K to the City of Plainfield for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

3,095 households applied for aid $432K aid approved $929K to the City of Plainfield for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$158K to the City of Plainfield for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

549 households applied for aid $761K aid approved $246K to the City of Plainfield for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$57K to the City of Plainfield for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

55 households applied for aid $69K aid approved
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

44 households applied for aid $38K aid approved
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$113K to the City of Plainfield for repairs
Union County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Plainfield

Plainfield and the towns around it

North Plainfield: Very high, mostly inland floodingWatchung: High, mostly inland floodingScotch Plains: High, mostly inland floodingGreen Brook: High, mostly inland floodingDunellen: Very high, mostly inland floodingBerkeley Heights: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWarren: Moderate, mostly inland floodingClark: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFanwood: Very high, mostly inland floodingWestfield: Low, mostly inland floodingMiddlesex: Very high, mostly inland floodingBridgewater: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPiscataway: High, mostly inland floodingPlainfield: Very high, mostly inland flooding PlainfieldNorth PlainfieldWatchungScotch PlainsGreen BrookDunellen
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Plainfieldmostly inland floodingVery high
North Plainfieldmostly inland floodingVery high
Dunellenmostly inland floodingVery high
Scotch Plainsmostly inland floodingHigh
Green Brookmostly inland floodingHigh
Watchungmostly inland floodingHigh
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. Plainfield covers 12 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Plainfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Plainfield. 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 Plainfield total about $23.7M 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.

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