Does Oak Forest flood?
Oak Forest, Charleston, SC · ZIP code 29407: the ZIP code on 140 of the 141 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Oak Forest have filed flood claims. About 24% of Oak Forest’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 141 claims from the Census block groups that cover Oak Forest, from 1979 through 2025. 99 of them received a payment, totaling $1,514,517 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1989 (28 claims), 2015 (27 claims), 2016 (14 claims).
What this page counts as Oak Forest
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Oak Forest, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Oak Forest 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 Oak Forest (feature 1253062), 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 Oak Forest. 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 Oak Forest
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 Oak Forest
The named streets in Oak Forest, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Oak Forest lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Oak Forest; 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. 1 shorter street is not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| W Oak Forest Dr | 3,130 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (70%) |
| US Hwy 17 | 3,120 ft | 25% | X (unshaded, minimal) (57%) |
| Wantoot Blvd | 2,480 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (60%) |
| Briarcliff Dr | 2,270 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (96%) |
| Oak Forest Dr | 2,140 ft | 87% | AE (87%) |
| Shelley Rd | 2,080 ft | 61% | AE (61%) |
| Browning Rd | 1,910 ft | 37% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (38%) |
| Browning Dr | 1,910 ft | 37% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (38%) |
| S Sherwood Dr | 1,610 ft | 48% | AE (48%) |
| Longfellow Rd | 1,530 ft | 36% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (41%) |
| Kruger Ave | 1,500 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (94%) |
| Ravenel Dr | 1,500 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N Sherwood Dr | 1,400 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Keats Rd | 1,370 ft | 86% | AE (86%) |
| Coosaw Dr | 1,340 ft | 24% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (76%) |
| Wimbee Dr | 1,330 ft | 7.8% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (92%) |
| Barrett Rd | 1,210 ft | 54% | AE (54%) |
| Byron Rd | 1,210 ft | 54% | AE (54%) |
| Symmes Dr | 970 ft | 10% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (52%) |
| Apollo Rd | 910 ft | 12% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (88%) |
| Macqueen Ave | 840 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (78%) |
| Wateree Dr | 820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (61%) |
| Whitmarsh Dr | 820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (68%) |
| Saint Clair Dr | 810 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (54%) |
| Wedgepark Rd | 780 ft | 22% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (78%) |
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 Oak Forest
Share of Oak Forest’s mapped area (about 0.858 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 9 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (45019C0492K, 45019C0511K): January 29, 2021.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 38% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 38% |
| AE | 24% |
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 Oak Forest. 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 | 1 | $483 |
| 1980s | 42 | $83,390 |
| 1990s | 32 | $168,398 |
| 2000s | 14 | $346,130 |
| 2010s | 47 | $782,937 |
| 2020s | 5 | $133,179 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Hugo: 27 claims
- October severe storms: 25 claims
- Hurricane Matthew: 12 claims
- Flooding: 7 claims
- Hurricane Ian: 3 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 113
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 28
How much is flood insurance in Oak Forest?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Oak Forest costs $910 a year: the median of 42 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $734 and $1,028. 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 Oak Forest
- 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 Oak Forest
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Oak Forest with other Charleston neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Charleston on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Oak Forest flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Oak Forest have filed flood claims. About 24% of Oak Forest’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 141 claims from the Census block groups that cover Oak Forest, from 1979 through 2025. 99 of them received a payment, totaling $1,514,517 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1989 (28 claims), 2015 (27 claims), 2016 (14 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Oak Forest in a flood zone?
About 24% of Oak Forest’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) 38%; X (unshaded, minimal) 38%; AE 24%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect January 29, 2021.
Which streets in Oak Forest are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Oak Forest Dr, Shelley Rd, Keats Rd, Barrett Rd and Byron Rd lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of W Oak Forest Dr, Wantoot Blvd, Briarcliff Dr, Kruger Ave, Ravenel Dr, N Sherwood Dr, Wimbee Dr and Macqueen Ave does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Oak Forest in?
Oak Forest is in Charleston, SC. ZIP code 29407: the ZIP code on 140 of the 141 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 Oak Forest?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Oak Forest cost $910 a year: the median of 42 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $734 and $1,028. 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 Avondale flood?
- Does Sherwood Forest flood?
- Does Indigo Point flood?
- Does Byrnes Downs flood?
- Does Ashleyville flood?
- Does Heathwood 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: 450190029003, 450190027022. 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.