Somerset County, NJ
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Somerset County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Somerset County's highest-rated hazards are inland flooding, winter weather, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 46% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Somerset County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (9), severe storm (6), flood (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 30 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 35.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95 | 60 | 5 | $100.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 29.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.5 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 15.3 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.4 | 3 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Somerset County ranks in the 19th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 14th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 11th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 30th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 56.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 96 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 39 in 2016–20 vs 57 in 2021–25 (+46% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Somerset County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Somerset County, New Jersey are inland flooding, winter weather, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Somerset County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Somerset County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2021. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (9 declarations).
Has Somerset County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Somerset County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Remnants Of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
How does Somerset County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Middlesex County, NJ has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Hunterdon County, NJ has the lowest (Relatively Low). Somerset County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Somerset County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Somerset County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Somerset County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.