Natural hazards · Union

Union, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Union comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 441 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Union?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Union to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding60%Strong wind13%Tornadoes5%Everything else21%

By hazard

What Union faces

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

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Strong wind

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 7 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Union flood?

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

441paid claims since 1978

$12.9Mpaid to owners

41homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 120 claims, $7.5M
Hurricane Irene: 113 claims, $2.9M
Hurricane Floyd: 45 claims, $653K

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. Union isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Hunterdon County.

Disasters that hit Union

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into UnionDeclared for Hunterdon County only

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$19K to the Township of Union for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$38K to the Township of Union for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$15K to the Township of Union for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$19K to the Township of Union for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$962 to the Township of Union for repairs

Hunterdon County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Union

Union and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Clintonmostly inland floodingVery high

Alexandriamostly inland floodingHigh

Lebanonmostly inland floodingModerate

Clintonmostly inland floodingLow

Bethlehemmostly inland floodingLow

Franklinmostly inland floodingLow

Unionmostly 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. Union covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Union’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Union. 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 Union total about $2.1M 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.