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Camden County, New Jersey

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Moderate overall risk
11th of 21highest risk in New Jersey
$122Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 111homes with flood insurance
Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0

Camden County, New Jersey has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 93% of US counties. It ranks 11th of 21 counties in New Jersey. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $122 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $233 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2021 (remnants of hurricane ida). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,406 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $8.6 million on 1,329 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Camden County

$75.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Earthquake

Moderate
$9.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 620 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$8.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 11 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh95.6
$76M
EarthquakeModerate93.8
$10M
Heat waveHigh97.0
$8M
Cold waveHigh91.6
$7M
HurricaneModerate88.5
$5M
TornadoModerate84.8
$5M
Strong windHigh94.2
$2M
LightningHigh96.4
$2M
Winter weatherVery High99.4
$2M
Ice stormVery High95.7
$2M
Coastal floodingModerate76.0
$2M
WildfireLow86.3
$711K
DroughtModerate69.8
$461K
HailVery Low31.4
$115K
LandslideVery Low55.2
$2K

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Camden County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane8
Snowstorm5
Severe Storm4
Drought2
Flood1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Sep 5, 2021Remnants of Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Sep 2, 2021Remnants of Hurricane IdaEmergency
Mar 14, 2016Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jul 22, 2015Severe StormMajor disaster
Oct 30, 2012Hurricane SandyMajor disaster
Oct 28, 2012Hurricane SandyEmergency
Aug 31, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2011Hurricane IreneEmergency
Mar 23, 2010Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2010SnowstormMajor disaster
Show all 22
Apr 26, 2007Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 19, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 16, 2004Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 20, 2003SnowEmergency
Sep 19, 2001Fires and ExplosionsEmergency
Sep 17, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96 (Severe Snow Storm)Major disaster
Mar 17, 1993Severe BlizzardEmergency
Oct 19, 1980Water ShortageEmergency
Feb 8, 1977Ice ConditionsMajor disaster
Sep 4, 1971Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 18, 1965Water ShortageMajor disaster

New Jersey also had 3 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 650 storm reports in Camden County since 1956, with 2 deaths and 18 injuries and about $34.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 9, 1989.

10tornadoes
74hail reports, largest 3 inches
368damaging thunderstorm winds
141floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 9, 1989F2–0 / 0
Jul 3, 1994F1Runnemede0 / 0
Mar 10, 1964F1–0 / 0
Feb 12, 1999F1Cherry Hill0 / 0
Jul 14, 1958F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 28, 2011FloodCamden$10M
Sep 16, 1999Flash FloodCountywide$7M
Jul 12, 2004Flash FloodCountywide$5M
Apr 15, 2007FloodCherry Hill$3M
Jun 23, 2015Thunderstorm WindHaddonfield$2M
Aug 10, 2008HailFlorence$2M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 9, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1861, 4 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Camden County, 14 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Gloria (1985), with top winds near 90 mph about 60 miles away.

4hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
21tropical storms
2021most recent: Elsa

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 1985GloriaCategory 1, 90 mph60 mi
Aug 24, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph57 mi
Oct 10, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph58 mi
Sep 16, 1903UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph63 mi
Aug 28, 2011IreneTropical storm, 70 mph61 mi
Jul 13, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 70 mph42 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jul 9, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Jul 10, 2020FayTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Aug 28, 2011IreneTropical storm, 70 mph61 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph40 mi
Sep 16, 1999FloydTropical storm, 65 mph46 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Camden County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,406 policies)
34.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$8.6 millionpaid on 1,329 flood claims since 1978
1994costliest year, with $1 million paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Camden County

$287,100median home value (New Jersey $454,400, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (New Jersey 1970, US 1980)
71%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.7%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 213,774 housing units.

Compare in New Jersey

All 21 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Bergen CountyHighInland flooding
Essex CountyHighInland flooding
Middlesex CountyHighInland flooding
Hudson CountyHighInland flooding
Monmouth CountyHighInland flooding
Ocean CountyHighInland flooding
Union CountyHighInland flooding
Passaic CountyHighInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Philadelphia County, PAVery High23
Burlington CountyModerate28
Gloucester CountyModerate25
Atlantic CountyModerate33

Cities in Camden County

Common questions about Camden County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Camden County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Camden County, about $75.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $9.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Camden County had?

Camden County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Remnants of Hurricane Ida in September 2021.

Is Camden County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 11th highest of 21 in New Jersey. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Camden County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Camden County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Camden County had?

NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Camden County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 9, 1989. The weather service has also logged 74 hail reports and 141 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Camden County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 4 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Camden County. The strongest was Hurricane Gloria (1985), with winds near 90 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.