709 flood insurance claims·$4.7M paid·6 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Gloucester County, New Jersey. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Gloucester County experiences a flood risk profile dominated by flash flooding and coastal tidal flooding. Over a thirty-year period, NOAA records show 74 flash flood events, 37 coastal flood events, 29 general floods resulting in one death, 23 storm surge or tide events, and 3 tropical storms. Coastal flooding frequently impacts the region via the Delaware River and tidal waterways, driven by strong south to southeast winds, heavy rainfall, and high astronomical tides. For example, a strong system on January 10, 2024, combined steady southerly flow with 2 to 4+ inches of rainfall to raise water levels on the tidal Delaware River. Similarly, strong onshore flow and potent storms caused tidal inundation of roads and structures on January 13, 2024, and April 4, 2024.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that property owners in Zone A face the highest concentration of risk, accounting for 476 claims with an average payout of $11,564 and an average recorded water depth of 8 inches. However, properties outside designated high-risk areas also experience losses; Zone X_UNSHADED records show an average water depth of 17 inches across 50 claims, with an average payout of $9,242. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in moderate-to-low risk zones like Zone X_UNSHADED, should pay close attention to potential flood hazards.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
15% of Gloucester County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
565 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 8 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2011, with 165 claims and $1.8M paid, the year of Severe Storms and Flooding and Hurricane Irene.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
35 NOAA storm reports from Gloucester County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the New Jersey flood stories →
28 federal disaster declarations since 1965, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Remnants Of Hurricane Ida | Sep 1, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | Aug 4, 2020 |
| Severe Storm | Jun 23, 2015 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Hurricane Irene | Aug 27, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Aug 13, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 12, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Feb 5, 2010 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
166 since 1996: 74 flash floods, 29 river or area floods and 60 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Jan 13, 2024 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Apr 12, 2024 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Jan 10, 2024 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Mar 9, 2024 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Apr 4, 2024 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 10, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Coastal Flood · Jan 13, 2024. Strong south to southeast winds resulted in widespread tidal flooding for much of the coast line and tidal waterways. The strong southeast to south winds resulted in a push of water up the Delaware Bay/River and through the back bays of the Atlantic coast. The outcome was the tidal inundation of roads and structures.
Coastal Flood · Apr 12, 2024. High astronomical tides in addition to strong southerly flow resulted in higher water levels, mainly along the Delaware Bay and tidal Delaware River. However, some flooding was observed in the back bays as southerly flow prevented water from draining.
Coastal Flood · Jan 10, 2024. A strong system affected the region with steady southerly flow pushing water up into coastal communities both along the ocean and within the Delaware River/Bay and Chesapeake Bay. Water levels on the tidal Delaware River were higher due to 2 to 4+ inches of rainfall.
Coastal Flood · Mar 9, 2024. A coastal storm moved through, bringing strong onshore flow, which resulted in water piling up along the coast and within back bays and tributaries. Moderate coastal flooding was observed.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Gloucester County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.