Salem County, New Jersey: hazard risk
FEMA rates Salem County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 76.5 of 100, higher than 76% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by coastal flooding, strong wind, ice storm. Its storm record holds 887 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 95.8 | $14M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 92.1 | $2.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88.3 | $870K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 | $279K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | $989K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 79.6 | $1.8M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 76.8 | $1.4M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 76.5 | $1.4M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 69.8 | $14M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 68.1 | $168K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 45.5 | $220K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.2 | $232K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 42.7 | $803K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.1 | $751K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 20.5 | $136 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 190 | 0 | $5.9M | 13th of 20 | 80th of 3,077 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 162 | 2 | $1.5M | 15th of 20 | 482nd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 128 | 0 | $14M | 10th of 20 | 37th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 86 | 0 | – | 7th of 20 | 41st of 3,076 |
| Floods | 80 | 2 | $50M | 15th of 20 | 180th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 47 | 0 | – | 7th of 20 | 35th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 40 | 0 | – | 7th of 20 | 184th of 3,063 |
| Extreme cold | 29 | 0 | – | 8th of 20 | 204th of 3,076 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 25 | 0 | – | 7th of 20 | 25th of 2,080 |
| Hail | 24 | 0 | $7.2M | 20th of 20 | 2517th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 23 | 0 | $656K | 5th of 20 | 69th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 7 | 0 | $152K | 19th of 20 | 343rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 0 | $3.7M | 19th of 20 | 2336th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 0 | – | 14th of 20 | 242nd of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Salem County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.