Resources/Houston ZIP Code Map/Flood Zones
Houston flood zones, by ZIP code.
How much of each Greater Houston ZIP sits inside a FEMA high-risk flood zone, measured from FEMA’s own maps. Not an opinion, a percentage.
I’m Eddie Weir, a REALTOR® with REMAX Signature in Greater Houston. Flood is the question every Houston buyer asks and the one most often answered badly, usually with a shrug or a sales line.
So here is a number instead. For every Greater Houston ZIP code, this is the share of its land area that FEMA maps inside a Special Flood Hazard Area, the 1 percent annual chance zone most people call the 100-year floodplain. 76 ZIPs are at 30 percent or more. The metro average is 26%.
One thing this page is not: a prediction that any ZIP floods. It measures how much mapped high-risk land a ZIP contains. Within a single ZIP some homes sit in the zone and most usually do not. Flood risk is decided at the address, by elevation and watershed, and that is where you have to check it.
What the number means
What a FEMA high-risk zone actually is
A Special Flood Hazard Area is land FEMA maps as having a 1 percent chance of flooding in any given year. Over a 30-year mortgage that compounds to roughly a 26 percent chance, which is why the label matters more than the reassuring nickname.
Three practical consequences:
Insurance becomes mandatory. With a federally backed mortgage on a home in an SFHA, flood insurance is required, not optional. It is separate from your homeowner’s policy, which does not cover rising water anywhere in Texas.
The zone letter changes the cost. Zones A and AE behave differently from V and VE coastal zones, and elevation relative to base flood elevation drives the premium. An elevation certificate can move a premium substantially.
Outside the zone is not zero risk. A large share of Houston flood claims come from outside mapped high-risk areas. Harvey flooded many homes that had never flooded and were not in an SFHA. Low share on this table means lower mapped risk, not no risk.
Highest exposure
The ten ZIP codes with the most mapped floodplain
By share of land area inside a FEMA high-risk zone. Coastal and bayou-adjacent ZIPs dominate, which is what you would expect and worth seeing in order.
| ZIP | In high-risk zone | Community |
|---|---|---|
| 77481 | 99% | Thompsons |
| 77554 | 96% | Galveston, Jamaica Beach, Hitchcock |
| 77650 | 95% | Bolivar Peninsula |
| 77623 | 92% | Bolivar Peninsula |
| 77551 | 90% | Galveston |
| 77563 | 84% | Hitchcock, La Marque, Bayou Vista |
| 77541 | 83% | Freeport, Jones Creek, Oyster Creek |
| 77617 | 83% | Bolivar Peninsula |
| 77401 | 82% | Bellaire & West U |
| 77550 | 80% | Galveston |
A high number here does not make a ZIP a bad place to live, and plenty of desirable Houston areas sit near water by design. It means diligence at the address level is not optional, and that your carrying cost will include flood insurance you should price before you write the offer, not after.
The full measurement
Every Greater Houston ZIP code by floodplain share
Grouped by primary county, highest share first within each. Percentages are the share of the ZIP’s land area inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area.
Harris County 132 ZIP codes · 28 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77401 | 82% | — | Bellaire & West U |
| 77586 | 76% | — | Clear Lake area |
| 77096 | 68% | Meyerland Area, Westbury, Brays Oaks | — |
| 77072 | 57% | Alief | — |
| 77082 | 57% | Eldridge / West Oaks, Westchase | — |
| 77507 | 55% | — | — |
| 77043 | 52% | Addicks Park Ten, Spring Branch West, Spring Branch North | Spring Branch |
| 77077 | 52% | Eldridge / West Oaks, Briar Forest | Energy Corridor |
| 77025 | 48% | Braeswood, Near Southwest | Bellaire & West U |
| 77520 | 48% | — | — |
| 77074 | 48% | Sharpstown, Braeburn, Westwood | — |
| 77058 | 48% | Clear Lake | Clear Lake area |
| 77026 | 47% | Kashmere Gardens, Greater Fifth Ward | — |
| 77050 | 47% | East Little York / Homestead | — |
| 77037 | 46% | Northside/northline, Greater Greenspoint | — |
| 77345 | 45% | Kingwood Area | Kingwood & Atascocita |
| 77562 | 43% | — | — |
| 77084 | 40% | Addicks Park Ten | — |
| 77060 | 39% | Greater Greenspoint | — |
| 77040 | 37% | Fairbanks / Northwest Crossing | — |
| 77339 | 35% | Kingwood Area | Kingwood & Atascocita |
| 77089 | 35% | South Belt / Ellington | — |
| 77493 | 35% | — | Katy |
| 77038 | 35% | — | — |
| 77039 | 34% | — | — |
| 77099 | 33% | Alief | — |
| 77571 | 32% | — | — |
| 77093 | 32% | Eastex – Jensen Area | — |
| 77530 | 30% | — | — |
| 77532 | 29% | — | — |
| 77047 | 29% | South Acres / Crestmont Park, Central Southwest | Med Center South · Pearland |
| 77450 | 29% | Eldridge / West Oaks | Cinco Ranch · Katy |
| 77587 | 29% | — | — |
| 77433 | 29% | — | Cypress & Cy-Fair |
| 77336 | 28% | Lake Houston | — |
| 77505 | 28% | — | — |
| 77044 | 28% | Lake Houston | — |
| 77015 | 28% | Northshore | — |
| 77338 | 28% | Lake Houston, IAH / Airport Area | — |
| 77049 | 26% | — | — |
| 77396 | 25% | IAH / Airport Area | — |
| 77022 | 24% | Northside/northline, Independence Heights, Near Northside | — |
| 77521 | 24% | — | — |
| 77373 | 24% | — | — |
| 77091 | 24% | Acres Home, Greater Inwood | — |
| 77066 | 22% | — | — |
| 77030 | 22% | Medical Center Area, University Place | Inner Loop |
| 77013 | 21% | Northshore, El Dorado / Oates Prairie | — |
| 77012 | 21% | Harrisburg / Manchester / Smith Addition, Pecan Park, Magnolia Park | — |
| 77429 | 21% | — | Cypress & Cy-Fair |
| 77389 | 20% | — | — |
| 77008 | 20% | Greater Heights, Lazybrook / Timbergrove | The Heights · Inner Loop |
| 77447 | 20% | — | — |
| 77036 | 19% | Sharpstown, Westwood | — |
| 77506 | 19% | — | — |
| 77032 | 19% | IAH / Airport Area | — |
| 77375 | 18% | — | — |
| 77092 | 18% | Central Northwest, Fairbanks / Northwest Crossing, Spring Branch East | — |
| 77078 | 18% | East Houston | — |
| 77346 | 17% | Lake Houston | Kingwood & Atascocita |
| 77071 | 17% | Brays Oaks | — |
| 77075 | 16% | Greater Hobby Area, South Belt / Ellington | — |
| 77028 | 16% | Trinity / Houston Gardens, East Houston, Settegast | — |
| 77059 | 16% | Clear Lake | — |
| 77536 | 16% | — | — |
| 77033 | 15% | South Park, Sunnyside | — |
| 77068 | 15% | — | — |
| 77377 | 15% | — | — |
| 77035 | 15% | Westbury, Near Southwest, Brays Oaks | — |
| 77007 | 15% | Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park, Greater Heights | — |
| 77598 | 15% | Clear Lake | Clear Lake area |
| 77090 | 15% | — | — |
| 77070 | 14% | — | — |
| 77017 | 14% | Meadowbrook / Allendale, Park Place | — |
| 77048 | 14% | Minnetex, South Acres / Crestmont Park | Med Center South |
| 77081 | 14% | Gulfton | — |
| 77005 | 13% | University Place, Greenway / Upper Kirby Area | Bellaire & West U · Inner Loop |
| 77067 | 13% | Greater Greenspoint | — |
| 77034 | 13% | South Belt / Ellington, Edgebrook Area | — |
| 77018 | 12% | Central Northwest, Independence Heights | The Heights |
| 77379 | 12% | — | — |
| 77449 | 12% | — | — |
| 77029 | 12% | Pleasantville Area, Clinton Park Tri-Community, Denver Harbor / Port Houston | — |
| 77016 | 12% | East Little York / Homestead, Trinity / Houston Gardens | — |
| 77547 | 12% | — | — |
| 77011 | 12% | Magnolia Park, Second Ward, Lawndale / Wayside | — |
| 77080 | 12% | Spring Branch Central, Spring Branch North, Spring Branch West | Spring Branch |
| 77503 | 11% | — | — |
| 77088 | 11% | Acres Home, Greater Inwood | — |
| 77023 | 11% | Lawndale / Wayside, Gulfgate Riverview / Pine Valley, Greater Eastwood | EaDo |
| 77031 | 11% | Brays Oaks | — |
| 77041 | 11% | Carverdale | — |
| 77019 | 11% | Afton Oaks / River Oaks Area, Neartown – Montrose, Fourth Ward | Inner Loop · River Oaks & Tanglewood |
| 77002 | 11% | Downtown, Midtown | Inner Loop · Montrose & Midtown |
| 77061 | 11% | Golfcrest / Bellfort / Reveille, Greater Hobby Area | — |
| 77079 | 10% | Memorial | Energy Corridor · Memorial |
| 77064 | 10% | Willowbrook | — |
| 77094 | 10% | — | — |
| 77083 | 9% | — | — |
| 77388 | 9% | — | — |
| 77085 | 9% | Central Southwest, Fondren Gardens | — |
| 77009 | 9% | Near Northside, Greater Heights | The Heights |
| 77086 | 9% | Greater Inwood | — |
| 77069 | 8% | — | — |
| 77004 | 8% | Greater Third Ward, MacGregor, Museum Park | Inner Loop · Montrose & Midtown |
| 77502 | 8% | — | — |
| 77062 | 8% | Clear Lake | — |
| 77087 | 8% | Golfcrest / Bellfort / Reveille, Gulfgate Riverview / Pine Valley | — |
| 77073 | 8% | — | — |
| 77020 | 8% | Denver Harbor / Port Houston, Greater Fifth Ward | — |
| 77024 | 7% | Memorial, Greater Uptown, Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial Park | Memorial · Spring Branch |
| 77042 | 7% | Briar Forest, Westchase | Energy Corridor |
| 77014 | 6% | — | — |
| 77045 | 6% | Central Southwest | Med Center South |
| 77063 | 6% | Mid West | — |
| 77021 | 5% | Greater Ost / South Union, MacGregor | — |
| 77504 | 5% | South Belt / Ellington | — |
| 77065 | 5% | — | Cypress & Cy-Fair |
| 77204 | 4% | Greater Third Ward | — |
| 77055 | 4% | Spring Branch East, Spring Branch West | Spring Branch |
| 77056 | 3% | Greater Uptown | Galleria · River Oaks & Tanglewood |
| 77057 | 3% | Greater Uptown, Mid West | Galleria |
| 77076 | 3% | Northside/northline | — |
| 77003 | 3% | Second Ward, Downtown, Greater Eastwood | EaDo · Inner Loop |
| 77095 | 2% | — | Cypress & Cy-Fair |
| 77051 | 2% | Sunnyside, Central Southwest | — |
| 77027 | 2% | Afton Oaks / River Oaks Area, Greenway / Upper Kirby Area | Galleria · River Oaks & Tanglewood · Uptown |
| 77054 | 0% | Astrodome Area, South Main | — |
| 77006 | 0% | Neartown – Montrose, University Place, Midtown | Inner Loop · Montrose & Midtown |
| 77010 | 0% | Downtown | — |
| 77046 | 0% | Greenway / Upper Kirby Area | Uptown |
| 77098 | 0% | Greenway / Upper Kirby Area, Neartown – Montrose, University Place | Inner Loop |
Fort Bend County 23 ZIP codes · 6 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77481 | 99% | — | — |
| 77476 | 52% | — | — |
| 77451 | 36% | — | — |
| 77406 | 35% | — | Richmond & Rosenberg |
| 77420 | 33% | — | — |
| 77479 | 32% | — | Sugar Land |
| 77435 | 30% | — | — |
| 77469 | 30% | — | Richmond & Rosenberg |
| 77461 | 28% | — | — |
| 77471 | 26% | — | Richmond & Rosenberg |
| 77498 | 20% | — | Sugar Land |
| 77444 | 19% | — | — |
| 77441 | 17% | — | Cross Creek Ranch · Fulshear · Katy |
| 77417 | 17% | — | — |
| 77545 | 16% | — | — |
| 77459 | 15% | — | Missouri City |
| 77464 | 13% | — | — |
| 77053 | 12% | Fort Bend Houston, Central Southwest | — |
| 77407 | 12% | — | Richmond & Rosenberg |
| 77478 | 9% | — | Sugar Land |
| 77494 | 6% | — | Cinco Ranch · Fulshear · Katy |
| 77477 | 1% | — | — |
| 77489 | 1% | Fort Bend Houston | Missouri City |
Montgomery County 24 ZIP codes · 4 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77386 | 40% | — | — |
| 77385 | 33% | — | — |
| 77304 | 32% | — | — |
| 77318 | 30% | — | — |
| 77380 | 27% | — | The Woodlands |
| 77357 | 26% | — | — |
| 77306 | 26% | — | — |
| 77302 | 24% | — | — |
| 77356 | 23% | — | — |
| 77365 | 23% | — | — |
| 77354 | 22% | — | — |
| 77372 | 22% | — | — |
| 77381 | 20% | — | The Woodlands |
| 77362 | 20% | — | — |
| 77384 | 18% | — | The Woodlands |
| 77328 | 18% | — | — |
| 77355 | 16% | — | — |
| 77316 | 15% | — | — |
| 77382 | 15% | — | The Woodlands |
| 77301 | 15% | — | — |
| 77358 | 13% | — | — |
| 77303 | 12% | — | — |
| 77873 | 10% | — | — |
| 77378 | 8% | — | — |
Galveston County 18 ZIP codes · 12 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77554 | 96% | — | — |
| 77650 | 95% | — | — |
| 77623 | 92% | — | — |
| 77551 | 90% | — | — |
| 77563 | 84% | — | — |
| 77617 | 83% | — | — |
| 77550 | 80% | — | — |
| 77555 | 68% | — | — |
| 77565 | 67% | — | — |
| 77539 | 52% | — | — |
| 77590 | 41% | — | — |
| 77568 | 33% | — | — |
| 77573 | 22% | — | Clear Lake area |
| 77546 | 19% | — | Clear Lake area |
| 77518 | 17% | — | — |
| 77510 | 13% | — | — |
| 77517 | 9% | — | — |
| 77591 | 4% | — | — |
Brazoria County 16 ZIP codes · 14 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77541 | 83% | — | — |
| 77431 | 75% | — | — |
| 77422 | 75% | — | — |
| 77515 | 63% | — | — |
| 77566 | 63% | — | — |
| 77534 | 56% | — | — |
| 77583 | 55% | — | — |
| 77480 | 43% | — | — |
| 77430 | 41% | — | — |
| 77577 | 36% | — | — |
| 77578 | 35% | — | — |
| 77486 | 34% | — | — |
| 77511 | 32% | — | — |
| 77581 | 31% | — | Pearland |
| 77531 | 27% | — | — |
| 77584 | 21% | — | Pearland |
Liberty County 12 ZIP codes · 5 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77575 | 48% | — | — |
| 77327 | 37% | — | — |
| 77533 | 35% | — | — |
| 77538 | 32% | — | — |
| 77371 | 31% | — | — |
| 77535 | 29% | — | — |
| 77582 | 19% | — | — |
| 77561 | 14% | — | — |
| 77564 | 13% | — | — |
| 77369 | 11% | — | — |
| 77629 | 3% | — | — |
| 77368 | 0% | — | — |
Austin County 13 ZIP codes · 1 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77485 | 44% | — | — |
| 77426 | 29% | — | — |
| 77474 | 24% | — | — |
| 77418 | 23% | — | — |
| 78940 | 17% | — | — |
| 78933 | 16% | — | — |
| 77835 | 15% | — | — |
| 77833 | 15% | — | — |
| 78944 | 14% | — | — |
| 78954 | 10% | — | — |
| 78931 | 8% | — | — |
| 78950 | 8% | — | — |
| 77473 | 0% | — | — |
Chambers County 7 ZIP codes · 3 with 30% or more in the floodplain
| ZIP | In FEMA high-risk zone | Neighborhoods | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77514 | 67% | — | — |
| 77597 | 65% | — | — |
| 77560 | 56% | — | — |
| 77523 | 26% | — | — |
| 77665 | 22% | — | — |
| 77580 | 12% | — | — |
| 77661 | 0% | — | — |
Waller County 7 ZIP codes · 3 with 30% or more in the floodplain
At the address
How to check a specific house
Pull the FEMA map for the address. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center gives the zone for a parcel. That, not the ZIP, is the answer.
Read the seller’s disclosure carefully. Texas requires sellers to disclose known flooding, prior claims and whether the property sits in a floodplain. My guide to the current disclosure form covers what changed and what to look for.
Ask for an elevation certificate, and get a quote before the option period ends. Two homes in the same zone can carry very different premiums depending on elevation. Price it while you can still act on the answer.
My Houston flood zone buyer guide walks the whole process, and the flood facts post covers the metro picture.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Which Houston ZIP codes flood the most?
This page ranks ZIPs by how much land FEMA maps inside a high-risk flood zone, which is the closest defensible measure. 77481 has the highest share at 99%. Mapped exposure is not the same as flooding history, and any specific home has to be checked at its own address.
Does a ZIP code tell me if a house floods?
No. Flood risk is set by elevation, watershed and the FEMA zone for that parcel. Two homes on the same street in one ZIP can carry different zones and very different insurance costs.
How many Houston ZIP codes are in a flood zone?
Nearly all contain some mapped floodplain. 76 of 252 have 30 percent or more of their land in a FEMA high-risk zone, 229 have at least 5 percent, and 23 are under 5 percent.
Do I need flood insurance if I am not in a high-risk zone?
It is not usually required, but a substantial share of Houston flood claims come from outside mapped high-risk areas. Given what Harvey did to homes that had never flooded, it is worth pricing regardless.
Does being in a floodplain lower the home’s value?
It affects carrying cost through insurance, and it narrows the buyer pool at resale. Whether it shows up in price depends on the submarket. If you want that read for a specific home, that is a comparative market analysis, and I am glad to run one.
Do FEMA flood maps change?
Yes. FEMA revises maps as studies are updated and drainage changes, and Harris County has seen significant revisions. Always pull the current map rather than relying on an older report.
What is the difference between a 100-year flood and a 1 percent annual chance?
They are the same thing, and the second phrasing is the honest one. A 1 percent annual chance is roughly a 26 percent chance across a 30-year mortgage, and it can happen in consecutive years.
Is the floodplain the same as the reservoir flood pools?
No. The Addicks and Barker reservoir flood pools are a separate consideration from the mapped SFHA and were central to Harvey litigation. If you are looking near either reservoir, that needs its own conversation.
The bottom line
Use this to ask better questions, not to rule ZIPs out
Houston is a coastal plain crossed by bayous. Mapped floodplain is a fact of the metro, not a defect in particular ZIPs, and some of the most desirable areas here carry real exposure.
What this table gives you is the right question at the right time: if a ZIP you like carries meaningful floodplain, check the address early, price the insurance during the option period, and read the disclosure closely. Book a call if you want help doing that on a specific home.
For where the market stands right now — live inventory, median list prices and days on market for every Greater Houston ZIP — see the live Houston housing market dashboard, updated hourly.
Know the zone. Now read the map.
The full guide to reading Houston flood risk before you buy.
Sources
Flood zones: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, Flood Hazard Zones, Special Flood Hazard Areas only. ZIP boundaries and counties: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA relationship files. Neighborhoods: City of Houston Super Neighborhoods.
Percentages describe the share of a ZIP code’s land area inside a mapped FEMA high-risk flood zone. They are not a prediction that any property will flood, and they are not insurance or engineering advice. FEMA revises its maps. Always obtain the current flood map, the seller’s disclosure and an insurance quote for the specific property before making a decision.
Eddie Weir, REALTOR® · REMAX Signature · License #560899
(346) 321-4422 · eddie@eddieweir.com
