Natural hazards · Ridgefield

Ridgefield, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ridgefield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 106 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ridgefield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ridgefield to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding75%Everything else25%

By hazard

What Ridgefield faces

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

Inland flooding

75% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

WildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Ridgefield flood?

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

106paid claims since 1978

$3.1Mpaid to owners

15homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 51 claims, $2.0M
April 2007 Nor'easter: 9 claims, $110K
Hurricane Irene: 7 claims, $205K

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. Ridgefield 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 Ridgefield

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RidgefieldDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

268 households applied for aid $973K aid approved $227K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$59K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$26K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$45K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

95 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $123K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$26K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

24 households applied for aid $58K aid approved $13K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$26K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $7K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

19 households applied for aid $27K aid approved $17K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$12K to the Borough of Ridgefield for repairs

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

Around Ridgefield

Ridgefield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Little Ferrymostly coastal floodingVery high

Carlstadtmostly coastal floodingVery high

Ridgefieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Fairviewmostly inland floodingModerate

Ridgefield Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Cliffside Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

North Bergenmostly inland floodingModerate

Palisades Parkmostly 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. Ridgefield covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ridgefield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Ridgefield. 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 Ridgefield total about $3.8M 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.