Does Red Top flood?
Red Top, Charleston, SC · ZIP code 29455: the ZIP code on 21 of the 22 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Red Top have filed flood claims. About 76% of Red Top’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE). NFIP flood insurance records list 22 claims from the Census block groups that cover Red Top, from 1979 through 2017. 12 of them received a payment, totaling $184,105 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1989 (9 claims), 2016 (7 claims), 2017 (4 claims).
What this page counts as Red Top
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Red Top, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Red Top 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 Red Top (feature 1231712), 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 Red Top. 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 Red Top
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 Red Top
The named streets in Red Top, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Red Top lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Red Top; 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. 18 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Hwy 17 | 3.5 mi | 57% | AE (57%) |
| Savannah Rd | 1.8 mi | 54% | AE (54%) |
| Main Rd | 1.6 mi | 45% | AE (45%) |
| James Bay Rd | 1.3 mi | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Old Charleston Rd | 1.2 mi | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Bluewater Way | 1.2 mi | 26% | X (unshaded, minimal) (64%) |
| Sanders Rd | 1.1 mi | 32% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (40%) |
| Nautical Chart Dr | 4,460 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (78%) |
| Moonlight Dr | 4,410 ft | 13% | X (unshaded, minimal) (84%) |
| Marshfield Rd | 4,180 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Seabago Dr | 3,620 ft | 18% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (58%) |
| Roustabout Way | 2,930 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (81%) |
| McLernon Trce | 2,590 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Unnamed Driveway for the Campground | 2,440 ft | 78% | AE (78%) |
| Bantry Cir | 2,020 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (87%) |
| Morse Ave | 1,770 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Hilton Dr | 1,640 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Moonglow Dr | 1,640 ft | 98% | AE (98%) |
| Safe Harbor Way | 1,600 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Winding River Dr | 1,580 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| McLeod Mill Rd | 1,540 ft | 33% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (67%) |
| Barton St | 1,520 ft | 96% | AE (96%) |
| Batten Dr | 1,370 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Waterline Dr | 1,240 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Red Sky Dr | 1,230 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (57%) |
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 Red Top
Share of Red Top’s mapped area (about 8.367 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 7 to 9 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (45019C0470K, 45019C0478K, 45019C0479K, 45019C0486K, 45019C0487K, 45019C0488K): January 29, 2021.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| AE | 76% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 12% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 11% |
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 Red Top. 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 | $0 |
| 1980s | 9 | $7,581 |
| 2010s | 12 | $176,524 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Hugo: 9 claims
- Hurricane Matthew: 7 claims
- Hurricane Irma: 4 claims
- October severe storms: 1 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 21
- Not reported: 1
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Before you rent or buy in Red Top
- 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 Red Top
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Red Top with other Charleston neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Charleston on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Red Top flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Red Top have filed flood claims. About 76% of Red Top’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE). NFIP flood insurance records list 22 claims from the Census block groups that cover Red Top, from 1979 through 2017. 12 of them received a payment, totaling $184,105 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1989 (9 claims), 2016 (7 claims), 2017 (4 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Red Top in a flood zone?
About 76% of Red Top’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE). Shares by zone: AE 76%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 12%; X (unshaded, minimal) 11%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect January 29, 2021.
Which streets in Red Top are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of US Hwy 17, Savannah Rd, James Bay Rd, Old Charleston Rd, Marshfield Rd, McLernon Trce, Unnamed Driveway for the Campground, Morse Ave, Hilton Dr, Moonglow Dr, Winding River Dr and Barton St lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of Nautical Chart Dr, Roustabout Way, Bantry Cir, Safe Harbor Way, Batten Dr, Waterline Dr and Red Sky Dr does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Red Top in?
Red Top is in Charleston, SC. ZIP code 29455: the ZIP code on 21 of the 22 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
- Does Shadowmoss flood?
- Does Greenwood Park flood?
- Does Oakland flood?
- Does Marsh Cove flood?
- Does Ashley Harbor flood?
- Does Orleans Woods 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: 450190056001. 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.
- 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.