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Natural hazards · Rutherford

Rutherford, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Rutherford comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 237 claims here since 1984. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Rutherford?

76
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Rutherford to be higher than in 76% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Everything else23%
By hazard

What Rutherford faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Rutherford flood?

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

237paid claims since 1984
$5.6Mpaid to owners
55homes flooded more than once
19842026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 67 claims, $1.8M
  • Hurricane Sandy: 51 claims, $1.9M
  • April 2007 Nor'easter: 39 claims, $557K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (18) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Rutherford 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level
Disasters that hit Rutherford

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RutherfordDeclared for Bergen County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

294 households applied for aid $850K aid approved $185K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$401K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$93K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

153 households applied for aid $130K aid approved $348K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$98K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

205 households applied for aid $494K aid approved $182K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$56K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $42K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

118 households applied for aid $93K aid approved $55K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $176 aid approved
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$28K to the Borough of Rutherford for repairs
Bergen County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Rutherford

Rutherford and the towns around it

Lyndhurst: High, mostly inland floodingEast Rutherford: Very high, mostly inland floodingPassaic: Moderate, mostly inland floodingClifton: Low, mostly inland floodingKearny: High, mostly inland floodingNorth Arlington: High, mostly inland floodingSecaucus: High, mostly inland floodingNutley: High, mostly inland floodingBelleville: High, mostly inland floodingCarlstadt: Very high, mostly coastal floodingWallington: Very high, mostly inland floodingGarfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWoodland Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLittle Falls: High, mostly inland floodingMontclair: Low, mostly inland floodingPaterson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRutherford: High, mostly inland flooding RutherfordLyndhurstEast RutherfordPassaicClifton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
East Rutherfordmostly inland floodingVery high
Lyndhurstmostly inland floodingHigh
Rutherfordmostly inland floodingHigh
Passaicmostly inland floodingModerate
Cliftonmostly 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. Rutherford covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Rutherford’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Rutherford. 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 Rutherford total about $6.6M 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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