Natural hazards · Ridgewood

Ridgewood, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ridgewood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 345 claims here since 1981. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ridgewood?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Ridgewood to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding84%Earthquakes5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Ridgewood faces

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

Inland flooding

84% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Ridgewood flood?

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

345paid claims since 1981

$6.5Mpaid to owners

33homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 114 claims, $2.1M
Hurricane Floyd: 114 claims, $2.3M
Hurricane Ida: 48 claims, $1.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (10) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Ridgewood is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Bergen County.

Disasters that hit Ridgewood

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RidgewoodDeclared for Bergen County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

233 households applied for aid $344K aid approved $2.8M to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$323K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$223K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$140K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

135 households applied for aid $54K aid approved $1.4M to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$305K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

150 households applied for aid $285K aid approved $916K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$82K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $20K aid approved $120K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

62 households applied for aid $53K aid approved $42K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$379K to the Village of Ridgewood for repairs

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

Around Ridgewood

Ridgewood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ho-Ho-Kusmostly inland floodingHigh

Ridgewoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Hawthornemostly inland floodingHigh

Glen Rockmostly inland floodingHigh

Waldwickmostly inland floodingModerate

Paramusmostly inland floodingModerate

Washingtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Midland Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Wyckoffmostly 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. Ridgewood covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ridgewood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Ridgewood. 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 Ridgewood total about $12.7M 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.