Is Passaic County, NJ in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Passaic County's flood hazard at the 97.8th percentile nationally — well above the national norm for flood hazard — driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about 3.5 times a year. That's a county-wide figure, not a per-address one — FEMA's parcel maps are a live lookup, not a bulk file.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 3,719 homes FEMA counts inside Passaic County's mapped flood zone, 1,793 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 48.2% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Passaic County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 2.2% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Where Passaic County ranks
Passaic County sits at rank 78 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 141 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Passaic County, New Jersey is home to about 526,597 people across 186.132 square miles of land.
Checking a specific address in Passaic County
2,164 of Passaic County's 99,647 residential structures carry flood coverage of some kind, per FEMA's latest count — useful context, not a substitute for checking one parcel.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Passaic County's numbers. The guide to what the Special Flood Hazard Area actually means explains why the mandatory-insurance rule exists and who it applies to.