Risk Index · Essex County · 2026-06-13
Newark, NJ real-estate risk
- Risk score
- 97.7/100
- Relatively High
- Expected annual loss
- $214M
- all hazards, county-wide
- Buildings-only loss
- $168M
- what owners and insurers carry
- Population
- 863K
- Essex County
Newark, NJ (Essex County) carries a FEMA National Risk Index score of 97.7/100, rated "Relatively High" and driven mainly by heat wave and riverine flood, with roughly $214M in expected natural-hazard losses per year (FEMA NRI, 2025).
Exhibit 1 · Hazard scores, national percentile
95th percentile- Heat wave99
- Riverine flood98.8
- Strong wind98.7
- Earthquake95.6
- Tornado94.9
- Hurricane91.8
- Hail86.8
- Coastal flood65.4
- Drought25.5
- Wildfire10.6
Each score is the county's percentile against every US county for that hazard (0-100).
What it means for insurance
Coastal flood and hurricane exposure make property insurance the swing cost in this market. Premiums and deductibles here can move a deal's NOI by double digits. Treat the insurance binder as a Day-1 diligence item.
Newark risk questions
Is Newark, NJ a high-risk area for real estate?
Newark scores 97.7/100 on FEMA's National Risk Index, rated "Relatively High" versus all US counties. Its expected natural-hazard loss is about $214M per year.
What is the biggest natural hazard in Newark?
The highest-rated hazard is heat wave (99/100), followed by riverine flood (98.8/100).
How does hazard risk affect property insurance in Newark?
Coastal flood and hurricane exposure make property insurance the swing cost in this market. Premiums and deductibles here can move a deal's NOI by double digits. Treat the insurance binder as a Day-1 diligence item.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (Counties), v1.20 (2026-06-13). Scores are national percentiles (0-100). Insurance commentary is PropHunt's interpretation of the hazard data, not an insurance quote.