Natural hazards · Somerville

Somerville, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Somerville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 182 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Somerville?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Somerville to be higher than in 68% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Earthquakes7%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Somerville faces

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

Inland flooding

78% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Somerville flood?

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

182paid claims since 1978

$15.8Mpaid to owners

27homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 45 claims, $4.5M
Hurricane Floyd: 43 claims, $2.5M
Hurricane Ida: 37 claims, $7.0M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (11) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Somerset County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

32homes raised above flood level

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Somerville

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SomervilleDeclared for Somerset County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

870 households applied for aid $3.7M aid approved $2.2M to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

192 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $224K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

240 households applied for aid $411K aid approved $162K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$24K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $5K aid approved $61K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

10 households applied for aid $6K aid approved $19K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$77K to the Borough of Somerville for repairs

Somerset County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Somerville

Somerville and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Somervillemostly inland floodingHigh

Raritanmostly inland floodingHigh

Bridgewatermostly inland floodingModerate

Hillsboroughmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Somerville covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Somerville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Somerville. 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 Somerville total about $5.9M 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.