Natural hazards · Westfield

Westfield, NJ natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Westfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 45 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Westfield?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Westfield to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding69%Earthquakes8%Everything else22%

By hazard

What Westfield faces

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

Inland flooding

69% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% 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

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 Westfield flood?

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

45paid claims since 1979

$1.8Mpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ida: 16 claims, $1.4M
Hurricane Irene: 8 claims, $79K
2025 July NYC Metro Area Flooding: 5 claims, $99K

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

Insurance rates: Union County.

Disasters that hit Westfield

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WestfieldDeclared for Union County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

385 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $149K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

2016

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$132K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

391 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $1.3M to the Town of Westfield for repairs

2011

Severe Storm

$226K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

265 households applied for aid $365K aid approved $211K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

2010

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$84K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

19 households applied for aid $25K aid approved $12K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$47K to the Town of Westfield for repairs

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

Around Westfield

Westfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Scotch Plainsmostly inland floodingHigh

Springfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Cranfordmostly inland floodingModerate

Mountainsidemostly inland floodingLow

Westfieldmostly inland floodingLow

Garwoodmostly 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. Westfield covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Westfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Westfield. 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 Westfield total about $8.9M 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.