Does Georgetown flood?
Georgetown, Washington, DC · ZIP code 20007: the ZIP code on 22 of the 22 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Georgetown have filed flood claims. About 28% of Georgetown’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 22 claims from the Census block groups that cover Georgetown, from 1978 through 2016. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $196,350 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1996 (10 claims), 1985 (4 claims), 1984 (2 claims).
Past claims do not predict future flooding, and a neighborhood figure cannot tell you about one building. Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and get flood insurance quotes before you sign a lease or a contract.
Check a specific address in Georgetown
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in Georgetown
The named streets in Georgetown, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Georgetown lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Georgetown; the main zone is the FEMA zone covering most of that length. A street can cross several zones, so the zone at one address can differ from the street’s main zone: check the address above for that. 3 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whitehurst Fwy NW | 4,860 ft | 90% | AE (90%) |
| 35th St NW | 4,670 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Wisconsin Ave NW | 4,540 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Canal Rd NW | 4,490 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Water St NW | 4,430 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| 34th St NW | 4,120 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Reservoir Rd NW | 3,620 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| West Rd | 3,360 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 33rd St NW | 3,220 ft | 1.8% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Tondorf Rd | 2,590 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Prospect St NW | 2,450 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N St NW | 2,410 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| O St NW | 2,260 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| P St NW | 2,130 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| M St NW | 2,090 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Francis Scott Key Brg | 1,550 ft | 80% | AE (80%) |
| Potomac St NW | 1,280 ft | 3.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (89%) |
| Volta Pl NW | 1,270 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Winfield Ln NW | 1,250 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Q St NW | 1,140 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 36th St NW | 1,140 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 37th St NW | 1,030 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Prospect St | 950 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Dent Pl NW | 870 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Old North Way NW | 770 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
Streets: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads). Flood zones: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, retrieved November 7, 2026. Each street is clipped to the neighborhood boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Georgetown
Share of Georgetown’s mapped area (about 1.774 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (1100010012C, 1100010014C, 24031C0465D, 51013C0039D, 51059C0190E): September 29, 2006, September 17, 2010, September 27, 2010, November 16, 2023.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 72% |
| AE | 28% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 0.4% |
What the zones mean
- Zone AE (and A, AH, AO)
- High-risk: part of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), the area FEMA maps as having a 1-percent chance of flooding in any given year (the “100-year” or base flood). AE areas have a mapped base flood elevation.
- Zone VE (and V)
- High-risk coastal areas, also in the SFHA, where the base flood is expected to bring additional hazards from storm waves.
- Zone X (shaded)
- Moderate hazard: between the limits of the 1-percent and the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (“500-year”) flood.
- Zone X (unshaded)
- Minimal hazard: outside the SFHA and higher than the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevation. Minimal is not zero: flood claims are filed from X zones too.
Source: FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
Flood insurance claims over time
Claims filed under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from the 2010 Census block groups that cover Georgetown. About 99% of the combined area of those block groups lies inside Georgetown. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 | $20,183 |
| 1980s | 7 | $34,608 |
| 1990s | 10 | $141,559 |
| 2010s | 3 | $0 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 6 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 9
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 7
- Not reported: 6
How much is flood insurance in Georgetown?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Georgetown costs $400 a year: the median of 15 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $371 and $565. That is the full amount paid for the year, the premium plus FEMA’s fees and surcharges, and every one of these policies is priced under Risk Rating 2.0. A quote for one building can be far from this: its elevation, foundation, age, coverage and deductible all change the price. Private flood insurance is not included.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Policies - v3, computed November 7, 2026.
Why home insurance costs what it does in Georgetown
This section is educational and is not insurance advice.
Flood insurance
ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. This is a ZIP code on at least 5% of the flood claims counted for Georgetown, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 20007: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $378 a year, the middle of 82 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $346 and $547. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 20007: NFIP records list 72 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2023. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
What to ask your agent
- Ask the agent how old the roof is.
- Ask whether a wind-mitigation discount is available for this house.
- Ask how flood coverage differs from the homeowners policy. A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood. Flood coverage is a separate policy.
- Ask whether the policy has a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible, and how that deductible is calculated.
- Ask when coverage would start. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase.
Flood coverage and the 30-day wait: FEMA fact sheet, Jan. 21, 2025; 44 CFR 61.11.
What do NFIP records show for flood insurance in Georgetown?
ZIP code 20007: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $378 a year, the middle of 82 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $346 and $547. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 20007: NFIP records list 72 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2023. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in Georgetown?
Ask the agent how old the roof is. Ask whether a wind-mitigation discount is available for this house. Ask how flood coverage differs from the homeowners policy. A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood. Flood coverage is a separate policy. Ask whether the policy has a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible, and how that deductible is calculated. Ask when coverage would start. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase.
Sources: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3; OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
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Before you rent or buy in Georgetown
- Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center; a neighborhood can mix high-risk and minimal-hazard zones.
- Ask the landlord or seller about past flooding and flood insurance claims at the property.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: new NFIP policies usually take 30 days to start (FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy).
- Ask which floor the unit is on and where parking, storage and mechanical equipment sit.
Living in Georgetown
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. For what day-to-day life in Georgetown is like, from parks to errands, see Living in Georgetown, Washington on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Georgetown flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Georgetown have filed flood claims. About 28% of Georgetown’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 22 claims from the Census block groups that cover Georgetown, from 1978 through 2016. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $196,350 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1996 (10 claims), 1985 (4 claims), 1984 (2 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Georgetown in a flood zone?
About 28% of Georgetown’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. Shares by zone: X (unshaded, minimal) 72%; AE 28%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 0.4%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect September 29, 2006, September 17, 2010, September 27, 2010, November 16, 2023.
Which streets in Georgetown are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Whitehurst Fwy NW, Water St NW and Francis Scott Key Brg lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of 35th St NW, Wisconsin Ave NW, Canal Rd NW, 34th St NW, Reservoir Rd NW, West Rd, 33rd St NW and Tondorf Rd does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Georgetown in?
Georgetown is in Washington, DC. ZIP code 20007: the ZIP code on 22 of the 22 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. Check the specific address for its own flood zone.
Do renters need flood insurance?
Standard renters policies usually do not cover flood. Renters in a community that participates in the NFIP can buy contents-only flood coverage, up to $100,000 for belongings.
How long does a new flood policy take to start?
A new NFIP policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. Exceptions include no wait when the policy is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage, and a one-day wait in a newly designated high-risk zone within 12 months of the map change.
How much coverage can NFIP provide?
For a one-to-four family home, NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000 and contents coverage up to $100,000. You can buy flood insurance even if you are not in a high-risk zone, as long as your community participates in the NFIP.
How much is flood insurance in Georgetown?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Georgetown cost $400 a year: the median of 15 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half cost between $371 and $565. One building’s quote can be far from this; its elevation, foundation, age, coverage and deductible all change the price.
FAQ sources: FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy; FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025); 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
Nearby neighborhoods
- Cathedral Heights – living in Cathedral Heights (StrollPlace)
- Does Georgetown East flood?
- Does Kent/Palisades flood?
- Woodley Park – living in Woodley Park (StrollPlace)
- Adams Morgan – living in Adams Morgan (StrollPlace)
- Forest Hills – living in Forest Hills (StrollPlace)
How these numbers were made
Neighborhood boundary: DC Health Planning Neighborhoods, DC Department of Health (DC Health), published on Open Data DC, licensed CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Flood zone shares: the neighborhood polygon intersected with FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, area computed in an equal-area projection; retrieved November 7, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for District of Columbia (county code 11001), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved November 7, 2026. A 2010 Census block group is counted for a neighborhood when at least 25% of the block group lies inside the neighborhood, or at least 25% of the neighborhood lies inside the block group. Block groups used: 110010002011 (100.0% of the block group is inside Georgetown), 110010002022 (100.0% of the block group is inside Georgetown), 110010002021 (100.0% of the block group is inside Georgetown), 110010002024 (98.3% of the block group is inside Georgetown), 110010002023 (100.0% of the block group is inside Georgetown). Neighboring pages can share a block group, so their counts can overlap. Paid totals add building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments and are not adjusted for inflation; a claim whose FEMA record shows a negative payment (an adjustment) counts as zero. See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on November 7, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on November 7, 2026.
- DC Health Planning Neighborhoods, DC Department of Health (DC Health), published on Open Data DC, licensed CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups.
- FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
- FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy.
- FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025).
- 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
- OpenFEMA Terms and Conditions.
- FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Policies - v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and November 7, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated November 7, 2026.