Does College Acres flood?
College Acres, Wilmington, NC · ZIP codes 28403 and 28405: the ZIP codes on most of the flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around College Acres have filed flood claims. No part of College Acres’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area on the current effective map; it is in Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 15 claims from the Census block groups that cover College Acres, from 1988 through 2018. 12 of them received a payment, totaling $291,997 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1999 (8 claims), 2018 (4 claims), 2005 (1 claims).
What this page counts as College Acres
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for College Acres, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, College Acres means the 2010 Census block groups whose center lies within 1.6 km (1.0 miles) of the U.S. Geological Survey (GNIS) map point for College Acres (feature 1005139) and inside the Wilmington city limits (U.S. Census Bureau), each block group going to the nearest of the places we cover. Every number below is for exactly those block groups (listed in “How these numbers were made”), so the edges are approximate and may include or leave out a few blocks people would call College Acres. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places boundaries (NRHP polygons) and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
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 College Acres
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 College Acres
The named streets in College Acres, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside College Acres lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside College Acres; 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. 14 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| S College Rd | 2.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| New Centre Dr | 1.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Racine Dr | 1.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Market St | 1.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| College Acres Dr | 4,980 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lullwater Dr | 4,240 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Oriole Dr | 3,960 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Eastwood Rd | 3,440 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Cardinal Dr S | 3,090 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Dapple Ct | 2,940 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Charter Dr | 2,790 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Old Eastwood Rd | 2,480 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Hillsdale Dr | 2,370 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Vann Campen Blvd | 2,330 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Clear Run Dr | 1,990 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Market Place Dr | 1,980 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Randall Pkwy | 1,940 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lampost Cir | 1,720 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Sigmon Rd | 1,690 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Hunt Club Rd | 1,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Bob King Dr | 1,560 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Carl St | 1,400 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pine Clay Rd | 1,190 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Nash Dr | 1,080 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Wesley Dr | 1,050 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 area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in College Acres
Share of College Acres’s mapped area (about 3.43 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 (3720313700K, 3720313800K, 3720314700K, 3720314800K): August 28, 2018.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 100% |
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 College Acres. This area is made of whole block groups, so every claim counted here comes from inside it. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1 | $975 |
| 1990s | 8 | $207,811 |
| 2000s | 2 | $33,210 |
| 2010s | 4 | $50,000 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Florence: 4 claims
- Hurricane Dennis: 4 claims
- Hurricane Floyd: 4 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 15
Why home insurance costs what it does in College Acres
This section is educational and is not insurance advice.
Flood insurance
ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. These are the ZIP codes on at least 5% of the flood claims counted for College Acres, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 28403: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,149 a year, the middle of 714 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $852 and $1,434. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 28403: NFIP records list 435 flood claims with a loss year from 1979 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
- ZIP code 28405: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $964 a year, the middle of 902 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $729 and $1,208. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 28405: NFIP records list 378 flood claims with a loss year from 1980 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
Fire and wind
- USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Wilmington, NC a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.800, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of College Acres alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 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 College Acres?
ZIP code 28403: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,149 a year, the middle of 714 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $852 and $1,434. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 28403: NFIP records list 435 flood claims with a loss year from 1979 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026. ZIP code 28405: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $964 a year, the middle of 902 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $729 and $1,208. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 28405: NFIP records list 378 flood claims with a loss year from 1980 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
What do public fire and wind records show for College Acres?
USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Wilmington, NC a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.800, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of College Acres alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in College Acres?
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; USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries; Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
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Before you rent or buy in College Acres
- 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 College Acres
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare College Acres with other Wilmington neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Wilmington on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does College Acres flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around College Acres have filed flood claims. No part of College Acres’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area on the current effective map; it is in Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 15 claims from the Census block groups that cover College Acres, from 1988 through 2018. 12 of them received a payment, totaling $291,997 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1999 (8 claims), 2018 (4 claims), 2005 (1 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is College Acres in a flood zone?
No part of College Acres’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area on the current effective map; it is in Zone X. Shares by zone: X (unshaded, minimal) 100%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect August 28, 2018.
Which streets in College Acres are in a high-risk flood zone?
No street listed here has most of its length in FEMA high-risk zones. Less than 10% of S College Rd, New Centre Dr, Racine Dr, Market St, College Acres Dr, Lullwater Dr, Oriole Dr and Eastwood Rd does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is College Acres in?
College Acres is in Wilmington, NC. ZIP codes 28403 and 28405: the ZIP codes on most of the 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.
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
- Long Leaf Acres
- Does Windemere flood?
- Does Devon Park flood?
- Does Oakcrest flood?
- Does Winter Park flood?
- Barclay Hills
How these numbers were made
Area: the census-based definition above, using U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places boundaries (NRHP polygons) and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names. Flood zone shares: the area 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 New Hanover County (county code 37129), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved November 7, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 371290119031, 371290105012, 371290119032, 371290119033. 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.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places boundaries (NRHP polygons) and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
- 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.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries.
- Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
- 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.