Natural hazards · Salem

Salem, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Salem comes from coastal flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Salem?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Salem to be higher than in 91% of U.S. communities, mostly from coastal flooding and inland flooding.

Coastal flooding51%Inland flooding33%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Salem faces

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

Coastal flooding

51% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Salem flood?

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

18paid claims since 1978

$141Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 3 claims, $11K
Hurricane Isaias: 2 claims, $11K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $14K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Salem isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Salem County.

Disasters that hit Salem

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SalemDeclared for Salem County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$34K to the City of Salem for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

92 households applied for aid $227K aid approved $54K to the City of Salem for repairs

2012

Severe Storms and Straight-Line Winds

$14K to the City of Salem for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

132 households applied for aid $206K aid approved $44K to the City of Salem for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$11K to the City of Salem for repairs

2009

Snowstorm

$11K to the City of Salem for repairs

Salem County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Salem

Salem and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Salemmostly coastal floodingVery high

Elsinboromostly coastal floodingVery high

Pennsvillemostly coastal floodingVery high

Manningtonmostly inland floodingModerate

Quintonmostly 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. Salem covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Salem’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Salem. 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 Salem total about $4.9M 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.