Natural hazards · Upper

Upper, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Upper comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 388 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Upper?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Upper to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding39%Hurricanes20%Coastal flooding13%Strong wind11%Heat waves8%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Upper faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Hurricanes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Coastal flooding

13% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

11% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 4% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Upper flood?

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

388paid claims since 1978

$10.0Mpaid to owners

36homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Sandy: 170 claims, $7.1M
December Storm - Nor'easter: 22 claims, $414K
Winter Storm Jonas: 18 claims, $723K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (8) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Upper is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Cape May County.

Disasters that hit Upper

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into UpperDeclared for Cape May County only

2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$187K to the Township of Upper for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$79K to the Township of Upper for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$338K to the Township of Upper for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

$53K to the Township of Upper for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$2.8M to the Township of Upper for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

$8K to the Township of Upper for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida and a Nor'eas

$16K to the Township of Upper for repairs

Cape May County has had 27 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Upper

Upper and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ocean Citymostly inland floodingVery high

Sea Isle Citymostly inland floodingVery high

Somers Pointmostly inland floodingHigh

Maurice Rivermostly coastal floodingHigh

Uppermostly inland floodingHigh

Estell Manormostly inland floodingModerate

Corbin Citymostly inland floodingModerate

Egg Harbormostly inland floodingModerate

Dennismostly 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. Upper covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Upper’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Upper. 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 total about $7.0M 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.