Flooding in Teterboro, New Jersey: the flood zone, the record, and what to do
Teterboro is mostly an airport and industrial land, with very few homes. Its flood map and its flood insurance record therefore point in different directions, and both are worth reading with that in mind.
The Bergen County 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan places 48.5 per cent of Teterboro's land in the 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, and 62.2 per cent once the 0.2 per cent zone is added. Yet FEMA has recorded only three National Flood Insurance Program claims there, because the US Census Bureau counts just 39 housing units and 136 residents. The borough's exposure is real, as Sandy showed at the airport, but it falls mostly on commercial and airport property rather than homes.
The short version
- The county hazard mitigation plan puts 48.5 per cent of Teterboro's land in the 1 per cent annual chance flood zone, 62.2 per cent with the 0.2 per cent zone.
- FEMA records only three flood insurance claims, because the borough has 39 housing units.
- Sandy put a few feet of water across most of Teterboro Airport, according to the county plan.
- Berry's Creek begins near the airport; the East and West Riser ditches drain the area through tide gates.
A large flood zone and a tiny population
Table 4.6-1 of the Bergen County 2026 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan puts 346.40 of Teterboro's 714.65 acres, 48.47 per cent, in the FEMA 1 per cent annual chance flood zone. The 0.2 per cent annual chance zone adds another 13.77 points, taking the total to 62.24 per cent, one of the largest additions in the county; a good deal of the borough sits just above the high-risk line rather than well clear of it. The county plan lists Teterboro, in full, among the municipalities subject to coastal flooding from the Hackensack River, and the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute includes it in its tidal surge maps. The US Census Bureau counts 136 residents and 39 housing units, all of them rented.
The record: three claims
FEMA's OpenFEMA data list three National Flood Insurance Program claims under the Borough of Teterboro over the life of the programme: one in 1979, one in 2011 linked to Hurricane Irene, and one in 2013. FEMA's multiple-loss data, as of 2 August 2026, show no repetitive-loss properties. The county plan lists six active NFIP policies as of October 2024. With so few homes, these numbers say little about how often the land floods; they mainly reflect how little residential property there is to insure. Losses to commercial and airport property insured outside the NFIP would not appear in this record at all.
Where the water comes from
Berry's Creek, which US EPA describes as a 6.5-mile tributary of the Hackensack, originates near Teterboro Airport and runs through the borough. The East and West Riser ditches, which the state recovery report for Moonachie describes as shared between Moonachie and Teterboro, carry water south toward Berry's Creek. The same report notes that most of the airport's land actually lies in Moonachie, that a Teterboro tide gate and pump station sits beside Moonachie's north-western boundary, and that water from the airport is pumped through Moonachie during floods. A new West Riser tide gate, unveiled in July 2014 and maintained by Bergen County, was described by the state as protecting properties in Teterboro, including the airport, from daily tidal flooding.
Sandy and the outlook
The county hazard mitigation plan records that during Sandy in October 2012 Teterboro Airport was inundated with a few feet of water across most of the airfield. The plan also lists Teterboro among the places affected by flooding in Irene in August 2011 and in an October 2010 rainstorm. Teterboro is one of the five municipalities in the state's Rebuild by Design Meadowlands programme. Looking ahead, the county plan estimates that three feet of sea level rise would expose half of the borough's critical facilities.
What this means if you live or work here
For the few households in Teterboro, the practical steps are the same as in neighbouring Moonachie: check the address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, watch coastal flood warnings for the Hackensack, and do not keep valuables on the floor of a ground-level home or basement. Because every home here is rented, according to the US Census Bureau, tenants should know that a landlord's policy does not cover their belongings; NFIP contents cover is available to renters and normally takes effect 30 days after purchase, as FEMA states. Businesses should review flood cover with their own insurer. Whether a particular loss is covered is decided by your insurer and your policy wording.
Common questions
Does Teterboro, NJ flood?
Its land does: nearly half is in the FEMA high-risk zone, and Sandy flooded most of the airport. But with only 39 homes, FEMA has recorded just three residential flood insurance claims.
Why are there so few flood claims in Teterboro?
NFIP claims are mostly filed by homeowners and tenants, and Teterboro has 136 residents. The airport and businesses make up most of the borough, and their losses are not well captured by this record.
Is Teterboro Airport in Teterboro?
Partly. The state recovery report for Moonachie says most of the airport's land lies inside Moonachie.
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