Natural hazards · Roselle

Roselle, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Roselle comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 371 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Roselle?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Roselle to be higher than in 18% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding58%Earthquakes11%Heat waves7%Strong wind6%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Roselle faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 10 times a year in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Roselle flood?

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

371paid claims since 1978

$8.8Mpaid to owners

46homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 64 claims, $607K
Hurricane Ida: 54 claims, $908K
April 2007 Nor'easter: 31 claims, $171K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Roselle is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Union County.

Disasters that hit Roselle

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RoselleDeclared for Union County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

739 households applied for aid $2.5M aid approved $168K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

1,260 households applied for aid $247K aid approved $911K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$55K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

498 households applied for aid $953K aid approved $399K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$39K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

56 households applied for aid $113K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

123 households applied for aid $115K aid approved $51K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$38K to the Borough of Roselle for repairs

Union County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Roselle

Roselle and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cranfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Elizabethmostly inland floodingLow

Lindenmostly inland floodingLow

Rosellemostly inland floodingVery low

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. Roselle covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Roselle’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Roselle. 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 Roselle 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.