Flood claims vs. the FEMA map in New Orleans, LA
FEMA's flood map and the flood claims people have actually filed don't always line up. In New Orleans, 8 neighborhoods with a digital FEMA map have under 10% of their area in FEMA's high-risk zones and at least 25 National Flood Insurance Program claims on record.
The neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Area in high-risk zones | Claims on record | Rated outside high-risk zones | Claims since 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrollton | 9.7% | 4,417 | 1,702 | 136 |
| New Marigny | 8.9% | 2,288 | 721 | 109 |
| Esplanade Ridge | 2.5% | 1,599 | 511 | 45 |
| Bywater | 7.1% | 1,345 | 478 | 38 |
| Central City | 6.8% | 1,330 | 548 | 58 |
| Garden District | 2.0% | 492 | 179 | 18 |
| Gentilly Terrace | 0.0% | 459 | 260 | 11 |
| Irish Channel | 0.0% | 444 | 262 | 13 |
Carrollton has the most: 4,417 claims, with 9.7% of its area in high-risk zones. 1,702 of those claims, about 39%, were rated in zones X, B or C, FEMA's moderate and minimal categories, at the time of the policy. The largest single source there is Hurricane Katrina, with 2,616 claims.
How to read this
- Claims are public only by census block group, so these counts describe the area around a home, not the home. Nearby neighborhoods can share block groups, so don't add the rows together.
- Flood maps get redrawn. The rated zone is the one on the policy when it was written, which may not be the zone on today's map.
- Past claims don't predict future flooding, and few claims can simply mean few policies. This does not label any place safe or unsafe.
Claims data as of 2026-09-08, from FEMA's OpenFEMA NFIP claims dataset. Flood zones from FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer. Check the exact address below, and get a flood insurance quote before you close, because standard homeowners policies generally don't cover flood damage.
This site does not label any place safe or unsafe. Past claims do not predict future flooding. Always check the exact address.