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Natural hazards · West Caldwell

West Caldwell, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Caldwell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1979. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is West Caldwell?

35
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Caldwell to be higher than in 35% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding71%Earthquakes8%Heat waves6%Everything else15%
By hazard

What West Caldwell faces

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

Inland flooding

71% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 68% of U.S. places

Heat waves

6% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places
Recorded about 9 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 West Caldwell flood?

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

44paid claims since 1979
$3.3Mpaid to owners
4homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Floyd: 7 claims, $816K
  • Hurricane Ida: 7 claims, $1.3M
  • Hurricane Irene: 6 claims, $389K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. West Caldwell isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Essex County.
Disasters that hit West Caldwell

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West CaldwellDeclared for Essex County only
2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

26 households applied for aid $59K aid approved $1.4M to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2020

Tropical Storm Isaias

$33K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2018

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$150K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$34K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2012

Hurricane Sandy

78 households applied for aid $13K aid approved $264K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2011

Severe Storm

$267K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2011

Hurricane Irene

51 households applied for aid $92K aid approved $39K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$23K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $7K aid approved
2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

16 households applied for aid $10K aid approved $39K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$78K to the Township of West Caldwell for repairs
Essex County has had 25 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around West Caldwell

West Caldwell and the towns around it

Caldwell: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Hanover: High, mostly inland floodingEssex Fells: Low, mostly inland floodingRoseland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Caldwell: Low, mostly inland floodingFairfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHanover: Low, mostly inland floodingLivingston: Low, mostly inland floodingParsippany-Troy Hills: High, mostly inland floodingMontville: Very high, mostly inland floodingFlorham Park: Low, mostly inland floodingWest Orange: Low, mostly inland floodingVerona: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCedar Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLittle Falls: High, mostly inland floodingLincoln Park: Very high, mostly inland floodingWayne: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWest Caldwell: Low, mostly inland flooding West CaldwellCaldwellEast HanoverEssex FellsRoselandNorth CaldwellFairfield
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
East Hanovermostly inland floodingHigh
Fairfieldmostly inland floodingModerate
Roselandmostly inland floodingModerate
West Caldwellmostly inland floodingLow
North Caldwellmostly inland floodingLow
Essex Fellsmostly inland floodingLow
Caldwellmostly 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. West Caldwell covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Caldwell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of West Caldwell. 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 West Caldwell 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/15 · 2025-01-01
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