Berkeley Senior Community More Vulnerable To Flooding, Data Says

BERKELEY, NJ — Residents of one of Berkeley's senior communities are more socially vulnerable to flooding, according to a new Community Resilience Estimate report released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Silver Ridge, one of the township's 55-and-older communities, is the 20th most vulnerable community in the country out of a ranking of 100, according to the report.

Community resilience is the capacity of individuals and households within a community to absorb the external stresses of a disaster, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The estimates are based on factors from the 2022 American Community Survey, taking into consideration poverty status, disability status, age, broadband internet access, health insurance coverage and more. It also considers flood risk.

Identifying socially vulnerable communities allows emergency response planners to identify and assist who will likely need the most help before, during and after emergencies, according to the CDC.

The community in the United States most socially vulnerable to flooding is Coney Island, New York, according to the report.

Find the full report here.