Natural hazards · Wayne

Wayne, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wayne comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 5,568 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Wayne?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wayne to be higher than in 59% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding82%Everything else18%

By hazard

What Wayne faces

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

Inland flooding

82% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Wayne flood?

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

5,568paid claims since 1978

$125Mpaid to owners

697homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Irene: 766 claims, $44.6M
March 2010 Nor'easter: 596 claims, $17.8M
April 2007 Nor'easter: 536 claims, $15.8M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 12 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (450) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Wayne is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Passaic County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1,032flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Wayne

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WayneDeclared for Passaic County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

418 households applied for aid $898K aid approved $370K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$917K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

411 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $1.3M to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$257K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2011

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee

$103K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

1,209 households applied for aid $5.0M aid approved $831K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$93K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

441 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $668K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

424 households applied for aid $877K aid approved $469K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

2005

Severe Storms and Flooding

245 households applied for aid $281K aid approved

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$508K to the Township of Wayne for repairs

Passaic County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

Around Wayne

Wayne and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pompton Lakesmostly inland floodingVery high

Lincoln Parkmostly inland floodingVery high

Haledonmostly inland floodingVery high

Pequannockmostly inland floodingHigh

Little Fallsmostly inland floodingHigh

Oaklandmostly inland floodingHigh

Waynemostly inland floodingModerate

Totowamostly inland floodingModerate

Fairfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

North Haledonmostly inland floodingLow

Franklin Lakesmostly 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. Wayne covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wayne’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Wayne. 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 Wayne total about $26.4M 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.