Does West Oakland flood?
West Oakland, Beaumont, TX · ZIP codes 77701 and 77705: 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 West Oakland have filed flood claims. FEMA has not published digital flood map data for West Oakland: its National Flood Hazard Layer, the map data this site uses, has no coverage here, so this page cannot say how much of West Oakland is in a high-risk flood zone. NFIP flood insurance records list 661 claims from the Census block groups that cover West Oakland, from 1979 through 2024. 550 of them received a payment, totaling $18,999,858 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2019 (150 claims), 1980 (147 claims), 2002 (69 claims).
What this page counts as West Oakland
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for West Oakland, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, West Oakland 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 West Oakland (feature 1349774) and inside the Beaumont 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 West Oakland. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups 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 West Oakland
Our address check reads the same digital FEMA maps, so it cannot give a flood zone for addresses in West Oakland. FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center may still hold scanned paper flood maps (FIRMs) for the area, and the city or county floodplain administrator can tell you the flood zone of a specific address. A lender’s flood zone determination also gives it.
Flood zones in West Oakland
FEMA has not published digital flood map data for West Oakland: its National Flood Hazard Layer, the map data this site uses, has no coverage here, so this page cannot say how much of West Oakland is in a high-risk flood zone. FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center may still hold scanned paper flood maps (FIRMs) for the area, and the city or county floodplain administrator can tell you the flood zone of a specific address. A lender’s flood zone determination also gives it. Source: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels (NFHL Availability layer), checked November 2, 2026.
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 West Oakland. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13 | $18,448 |
| 1980s | 202 | $1,302,119 |
| 1990s | 81 | $599,165 |
| 2000s | 135 | $1,734,915 |
| 2010s | 221 | $15,266,800 |
| 2020s | 9 | $78,411 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Tropical Storm Imelda: 147 claims
- Flooding: 115 claims
- Hurricane Danielle: 69 claims
- Heavy rains: 67 claims
- Hurricane Harvey: 59 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 657
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 4
How much is flood insurance in West Oakland?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in West Oakland costs $1,082 a year: the median of 178 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $950 and $1,263. 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 2, 2026.
Why home insurance costs what it does in West Oakland
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 West Oakland, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 77701: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,074 a year, the middle of 218 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $909 and $1,261. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 77701: NFIP records list 862 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
Fire and wind
- USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Beaumont, TX a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.825, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of West Oakland alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) policies provide wind coverage for property located in 14 coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of Highway 146. Jefferson is named in the county list: The counties are Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio and Willacy.
The insurance market in Texas
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association: Total policies in force, as of 6/30/2026: 288,676.
- Texas FAIR Plan Association: As of June 30, 2026: TFPA insures 118,486 properties.
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 West Oakland?
ZIP code 77701: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,074 a year, the middle of 218 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $909 and $1,261. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 77701: NFIP records list 862 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
How big are the last-resort insurance plans in Texas?
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association: Total policies in force, as of 6/30/2026: 288,676. Texas FAIR Plan Association: As of June 30, 2026: TFPA insures 118,486 properties.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in West Oakland?
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; Texas Department of Insurance, Texas homeowners insurance market overview; Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Overview; Texas FAIR Plan Association Fact Book, Q2 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in West Oakland
- 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 West Oakland
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare West Oakland with other Beaumont neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Beaumont on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does West Oakland flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around West Oakland have filed flood claims. FEMA has not published digital flood map data for West Oakland: its National Flood Hazard Layer, the map data this site uses, has no coverage here, so this page cannot say how much of West Oakland is in a high-risk flood zone. NFIP flood insurance records list 661 claims from the Census block groups that cover West Oakland, from 1979 through 2024. 550 of them received a payment, totaling $18,999,858 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2019 (150 claims), 1980 (147 claims), 2002 (69 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is West Oakland in a flood zone?
FEMA has not published digital flood map data for West Oakland: its National Flood Hazard Layer, the map data this site uses, has no coverage here, so this page cannot say how much of West Oakland is in a high-risk flood zone. FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center may still hold scanned paper flood maps (FIRMs) for the area, and the city or county floodplain administrator can tell you the flood zone of a specific address. A lender’s flood zone determination also gives it.
What ZIP code is West Oakland in?
West Oakland is in Beaumont, TX. ZIP codes 77701 and 77705: 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.
How much is flood insurance in West Oakland?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in West Oakland cost $1,082 a year: the median of 178 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half cost between $950 and $1,263. 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
- Does Sunnyside flood?
- Does Walden flood?
- Higgins
- Does Zummo flood?
- Does Caldwood flood?
- Does Calder Highlands flood?
How these numbers were made
Area: the census-based definition above, using U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names. Flood zones: FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer has no digital flood map data for this area (its NFHL Availability layer has no coverage at the area’s center or corners; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, checked November 2, 2026), so no zone shares are given. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Jefferson County (county code 48245), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved November 2, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 482450021003, 482450023002, 482450022003, 482450023001, 482450021001, 482450021002. 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 2, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on November 2, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups 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.
- FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Policies - v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries.
- Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas homeowners insurance market overview.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Overview.
- Texas FAIR Plan Association Fact Book, Q2 2026.
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and November 2, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated November 2, 2026.