These 9 NJ Communities Will 'Soon' Be Underwater, Report Says

Floods, climate change and other environmental factors could plunge nine New Jersey communities underwater and make them uninhabitable by 2100, a report says.

Indeed, the nine New Jersey communities are among the 35 towns in America that would most likely fall prey to a rise in sea levels and chronic flooding in the coming decades, according to the data compiler 24/7 Wall Street.

The company used data compiled by the Union of Concerned Scientists to present a list of 35 communities with the highest percentage of homes at risk.

Two New Jersey communities were in the top 5: Hoboken, at number 2 and Atlantic City, at number 3 (see the full list below).

That report is similar to one recently released by Climate Central that said at least 20 New Jersey communities could be underwater by the end of the century – and a number of others could be almost completely surrounded by the seas.

That report said more than 99 percent of today's population in 252 coastal towns and cities would have their homes submerged, and property of more than half the population in 479 additional communities would also be underwater.

Read more: Sea Level Rise Could Plunge 20 NJ Towns Underwater, Report Says

24/7 Wall Street said the steady rise in global surface temperatures is largely attributed to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. With rising temperatures, the report said, the world’s ice has been melting and sea levels have been rising.

"As a result, barring major interventions, sooner or later thousands of coastal communities around the world will become uninhabitable," the report said.

Many communities are expected to experience chronic flooding by 2060. 24/7 and the Union of Concerned Scientists factored in its analysis the number of residents who live in parts of communities expected to be regularly flooded by 2060.

More than 300,000 homes worth a combined $117.5 billion are likely to be at risk of chronic tidal flooding within 30 years, according to UCS analysis published by the report. That total could rise to 2.4 million homes and more than $1 trillion in property damage, according to the report.

Here are the nine New Jersey communities that could be underwater and their national rank, according to the report:

• Hoboken (#2): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 14,747 (29.5%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 21,814 (43.6%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (49.8%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (71.3%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $4.5 billion
• Atlantic City (#3): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 13,687 (34.6%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 21,373 (54.0%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (50.2%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (92.8%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $1.1 billion
• Ocean City (#12): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 6,028 (51.5%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 10,348 (88.4%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (58.9%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (98.3%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $5.7 billion
• Ventnor City (#16): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 4,916 (46.2%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 8,326 (78.2%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (53.9%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (98.9%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $850 million
• Pennsville (#24): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 4,081 (30.4%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 9,078 (67.7%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (35.4%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (70.5%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $289 million
• Little Ferry (#26): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 3,881 (36.5%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 4,406 (41.5%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (75.4%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (92.0%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $478 million
• Brigantine (#29): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 3,590 (38.0%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 8,717 (92.2%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (48.0%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (95.9%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $1.3 billion
• Margate City (#32) Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 3,533 (55.6%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 5,910 (93.0%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (55.7%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (99.6%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $1.9 billion.
• Secaucus (#35): Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2060: 3,092 (19.0%); Population with homes at risk of flooding in 2100: 5,594 (34.4%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2060: (25.7%); Habitable land that will be underwater by 2100: (65.8%); Current property value at risk in 2060: $230 million

Read the full 24/7 Wall Street report here.