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Natural hazards · Upper Saddle River

Upper Saddle River, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Upper Saddle River comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 35 claims here since 1983. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Upper Saddle River?

43
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Upper Saddle River to be higher than in 43% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding78%Earthquakes9%Everything else13%
By hazard

What Upper Saddle River 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
Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Upper Saddle River flood?

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

35paid claims since 1983
$521Kpaid to owners
6homes flooded more than once
19832026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Irene: 6 claims, $54K
  • Hurricane Ida: 4 claims, $208K
  • Hurricane Floyd: 4 claims, $44K

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. Upper Saddle River 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.
Disasters that hit Upper Saddle River

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Upper Saddle RiverDeclared for Bergen County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

41 households applied for aid $123K aid approved $93K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$44K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

66 households applied for aid $7K aid approved $203K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$61K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

42 households applied for aid $111K aid approved $123K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$21K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $613 aid approved
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

12 households applied for aid $9K aid approved
2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$107K to the Borough of Upper Saddle River for repairs
Bergen County has had 24 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Upper Saddle River

Upper Saddle River and the towns around it

Ramsey: Low, mostly inland floodingSaddle River: Low, mostly inland floodingMahwah: Low, mostly inland floodingMontvale: Very low, mostly inland floodingWoodcliff Lake: Very low, mostly inland floodingAllendale: Low, mostly inland floodingWaldwick: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHo-Ho-Kus: High, mostly inland floodingHillsdale: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFranklin Lakes: Low, mostly inland floodingWyckoff: Low, mostly inland floodingOakland: High, mostly inland floodingRiver Vale: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPark Ridge: Low, mostly inland floodingUpper Saddle River: Moderate, mostly inland flooding Upper Saddle RiverRamseySaddle RiverMahwahMontvaleWoodcliff Lake
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Upper Saddle Rivermostly inland floodingModerate
Saddle Rivermostly inland floodingLow
Mahwahmostly inland floodingLow
Ramseymostly inland floodingLow
Montvalemostly inland floodingVery low
Woodcliff Lakemostly 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. Upper Saddle River covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Upper Saddle River’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Upper Saddle River. 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 Upper Saddle River total about $3.7M 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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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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