Camden County, New Jersey
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 95.6 | $76M | ||
| Earthquake | 93.8 | $10M | ||
| Heat wave | 97.0 | $8M | ||
| Cold wave | 91.6 | $7M | ||
| Hurricane | 88.5 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 84.8 | $5M | ||
| Strong wind | 94.2 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 96.4 | $2M | ||
| Winter weather | 99.4 | $2M | ||
| Ice storm | 95.7 | $2M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 76.0 | $2M | ||
| Wildfire | 86.3 | $711K | ||
| Drought | 69.8 | $461K | ||
| Hail | 31.4 | $115K | ||
| Landslide | 55.2 | $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
Most recent
Show all 22
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 3, 1994 | F1 | Runnemede | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 10, 1964 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 12, 1999 | F1 | Cherry Hill | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 14, 1958 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2011 | Flood | Camden | $10M |
| Sep 16, 1999 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $7M |
| Jul 12, 2004 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $5M |
| Apr 15, 2007 | Flood | Cherry Hill | $3M |
| Jun 23, 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Haddonfield | $2M |
| Aug 10, 2008 | Hail | Florence | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 1, 90 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 24, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 57 mi |
| Oct 10, 1894 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 16, 1903 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 28, 2011 | Irene | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Jul 13, 1996 | Bertha | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 42 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 9, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 4, 2020 | Isaias | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Jul 10, 2020 | Fay | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 28, 2011 | Irene | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 61 mi |
| Sep 6, 2008 | Hanna | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 40 mi |
| Sep 16, 1999 | Floyd | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 46 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Bergen County | Inland flooding | |
| Essex County | Inland flooding | |
| Middlesex County | Inland flooding | |
| Hudson County | Inland flooding | |
| Monmouth County | Inland flooding | |
| Ocean County | Inland flooding | |
| Union County | Inland flooding | |
| Passaic County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County, PA | 23 | |
| Burlington County | 28 | |
| Gloucester County | 25 | |
| Atlantic County | 33 |
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.