Natural hazards · Rockaway

Rockaway, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rockaway comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 73 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Rockaway?

70
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rockaway to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves6%Everything else14%
By hazard

What Rockaway faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat 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 Rockaway flood?

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

73paid claims since 1978
$1.5Mpaid to owners
8homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 31 claims, $1.0M
  • Hurricane Floyd: 18 claims, $244K
  • Not a named storm: 5 claims, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RockawayDeclared for Morris County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

50 households applied for aid $73K aid approved
2021

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$50K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$32K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$32K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

244 households applied for aid $35K aid approved $98K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$13K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

197 households applied for aid $480K aid approved $25K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$22K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $2K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

7 households applied for aid $16K aid approved
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $424 aid approved
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$4K to the Borough of Rockaway for repairs
Morris County has had 26 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.
Around Rockaway

Rockaway and the towns around it

Rockaway: Low, mostly inland floodingDenville: High, mostly inland floodingWest Milford: High, mostly inland floodingWharton: Low, mostly inland floodingDover: Very high, mostly inland floodingRandolph: Low, mostly inland floodingJefferson: Low, mostly inland floodingBoonton: Very high, mostly inland floodingKinnelon: Moderate, mostly inland floodingParsippany-Troy Hills: High, mostly inland floodingMorris: Low, mostly inland floodingRockaway: High, mostly inland flooding RockawayRockawayDenville
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Rockawaymostly inland floodingHigh
Denvillemostly inland floodingHigh
Rockawaymostly 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. Rockaway covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rockaway’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Rockaway. 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 Rockaway total about $3.1M 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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