Does Garden Hill flood?
Garden Hill, Charleston, SC · ZIP code 29403: the ZIP code on 169 of the 173 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Garden Hill have filed flood claims. About 42% of Garden Hill’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 173 claims from the Census block groups that cover Garden Hill, from 1982 through 2022. 94 of them received a payment, totaling $584,197 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1989 (67 claims), 2015 (35 claims), 2016 (11 claims).
What this page counts as Garden Hill
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Garden Hill, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Garden Hill 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 Garden Hill (feature 1252877), 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 Garden Hill. 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 Garden Hill
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 Garden Hill
The named streets in Garden Hill, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Garden Hill lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Garden Hill; 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. 27 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutledge Ave | 1.1 mi | 20% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (80%) |
| Mary Murray Dr | 1.1 mi | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (61%) |
| I-26 | 4,390 ft | 4.1% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (92%) |
| King St | 3,920 ft | 1.6% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (98%) |
| Ashley Ave | 3,580 ft | 42% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (58%) |
| Moultrie St | 3,110 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (92%) |
| San Souci St | 2,990 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (100%) |
| Simons St | 2,820 ft | 82% | AE (82%) |
| Peachtree St | 2,820 ft | 43% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (56%) |
| Maple St | 2,710 ft | 52% | AE (52%) |
| Hester St | 2,690 ft | 22% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (78%) |
| Grove St | 2,590 ft | 44% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (56%) |
| Huger St | 2,470 ft | 11% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (89%) |
| Darlington Ave | 2,320 ft | 30% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (70%) |
| 10th Ave | 2,160 ft | 88% | AE (88%) |
| Mary Ellen Dr | 2,100 ft | 100% | AE (88%) |
| Mount Pleasant St | 2,040 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (100%) |
| Piedmont Ave | 1,890 ft | 80% | AE (80%) |
| Gordon St | 1,890 ft | 99% | AE (99%) |
| Saint Margaret St | 1,840 ft | 91% | AE (91%) |
| Devereux Ave | 1,780 ft | 26% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (74%) |
| Alberta Ave | 1,500 ft | 74% | AE (74%) |
| Poplar St | 1,460 ft | 30% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (70%) |
| Devereaux Ave | 1,450 ft | 8.9% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (91%) |
| Cypress St | 1,430 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (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 October 25, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Garden Hill
Share of Garden Hill’s mapped area (about 2.262 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Mapped base flood elevations inside the neighborhood range from 9 to 14 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (45019C0504K, 45019C0511K, 45019C0512K): January 29, 2021.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 52% |
| VE | 24% |
| AE | 18% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 6.7% |
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 Garden Hill. 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 | 70 | $138,562 |
| 1990s | 23 | $20,055 |
| 2000s | 12 | $42,762 |
| 2010s | 65 | $373,062 |
| 2020s | 3 | $9,754 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Hugo: 65 claims
- October severe storms: 34 claims
- Hurricane Matthew: 9 claims
- Hurricane Floyd: 7 claims
- Hurricane Irma: 5 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 149
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 18
- Not reported: 5
- V/VE (coastal high hazard): 1
How much is flood insurance in Garden Hill?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Garden Hill costs $884 a year: the median of 107 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $758 and $1,070. 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 October 25, 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in Garden Hill
- 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 Garden Hill
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Garden Hill with other Charleston neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Charleston on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Garden Hill flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Garden Hill have filed flood claims. About 42% of Garden Hill’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 173 claims from the Census block groups that cover Garden Hill, from 1982 through 2022. 94 of them received a payment, totaling $584,197 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1989 (67 claims), 2015 (35 claims), 2016 (11 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Garden Hill in a flood zone?
About 42% of Garden Hill’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 (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 52%; VE 24%; AE 18%; X (unshaded, minimal) 6.7%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect January 29, 2021.
Which streets in Garden Hill are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Simons St, Maple St, 10th Ave, Mary Ellen Dr, Piedmont Ave, Gordon St, Saint Margaret St and Alberta Ave lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of Mary Murray Dr, I-26, King St, Moultrie St, San Souci St, Mount Pleasant St, Devereaux Ave and Cypress St does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Garden Hill in?
Garden Hill is in Charleston, SC. ZIP code 29403: the ZIP code on 169 of the 173 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 Garden Hill?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Garden Hill cost $884 a year: the median of 107 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $758 and $1,070. 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 Myers flood?
- Does Northbridge flood?
- Does Rosemont flood?
- Does Wespanee flood?
- Does Ashleyville flood?
- Does The Crescent 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 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 October 25, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Charleston County (county code 45019), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 450190016001, 450190016002, 450190015001, 450190052001, 450190015002. 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 October 25, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 25, 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.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 25, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 25, 2026.