Does Handsboro flood?
Handsboro, Gulfport, MS · ZIP code 39507: the ZIP code on 190 of the 193 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Handsboro have filed flood claims. About 30% of Handsboro’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 193 claims from the Census block groups that cover Handsboro, from 1979 through 2021. 165 of them received a payment, totaling $13,513,115 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (105 claims), 1998 (32 claims), 2002 (12 claims).
What this page counts as Handsboro
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Handsboro, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Handsboro 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 Handsboro (feature 690915), 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 Handsboro. 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 Handsboro
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 Handsboro
The named streets in Handsboro, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Handsboro lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Handsboro; 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. 54 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| E Pass Rd | 2.1 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Cowan Rd | 1.4 mi | 22% | X (unshaded, minimal) (75%) |
| Magnolia St | 5,040 ft | 35% | X (unshaded, minimal) (55%) |
| Commerce St | 4,600 ft | 9.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (75%) |
| 5th St | 3,680 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Anniston Ave | 3,620 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| W Pine St | 3,180 ft | 98% | AE (98%) |
| Pine St | 3,180 ft | 17% | X (unshaded, minimal) (76%) |
| Silver Ridge Ave | 2,820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (95%) |
| Courthouse Rd | 2,810 ft | 55% | AE (55%) |
| Collins Blvd | 2,780 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Saint James Blvd | 2,710 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| W Magnolia St | 2,460 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Church St | 2,460 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| North St | 2,330 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Live Oak Ave | 2,110 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (89%) |
| Washington Ave | 1,980 ft | 49% | AE (49%) |
| Mill Rd | 1,910 ft | 71% | AE (71%) |
| Augustine Dr | 1,860 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lindh Rd | 1,820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Bradford St | 1,800 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Bridge St | 1,760 ft | 28% | X (unshaded, minimal) (68%) |
| N Forest Dr | 1,740 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Riley Ave | 1,560 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Varnado Ln | 1,540 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (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 Handsboro
Share of Handsboro’s mapped area (about 5.206 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 14 to 16 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (28047C0267G, 28047C0268G, 28047C0269G): June 16, 2009.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 63% |
| AE | 29% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 6.5% |
| A | 1.7% |
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 Handsboro. 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 | 4 | $8,343 |
| 1980s | 6 | $943 |
| 1990s | 34 | $510,349 |
| 2000s | 133 | $12,843,205 |
| 2010s | 13 | $86,312 |
| 2020s | 3 | $63,965 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Katrina: 101 claims
- Hurricane Georges: 29 claims
- Tropical Storm Isidore: 11 claims
- Hurricane Isaac: 9 claims
- Hurricane Gustav: 6 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 146
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 47
Insurance agency or real estate agent? Sponsor this page.
Before you rent or buy in Handsboro
- 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 Handsboro
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Handsboro with other Gulfport neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Gulfport on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Handsboro flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Handsboro have filed flood claims. About 30% of Handsboro’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 193 claims from the Census block groups that cover Handsboro, from 1979 through 2021. 165 of them received a payment, totaling $13,513,115 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (105 claims), 1998 (32 claims), 2002 (12 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Handsboro in a flood zone?
About 30% of Handsboro’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 (unshaded, minimal) 63%; AE 29%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 6.5%; A 1.7%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect June 16, 2009.
Which streets in Handsboro are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of W Pine St, Courthouse Rd, W Magnolia St and Mill Rd lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of E Pass Rd, Commerce St, 5th St, Anniston Ave, Silver Ridge Ave, Collins Blvd, Saint James Blvd and Church St does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Handsboro in?
Handsboro is in Gulfport, MS. ZIP code 39507: the ZIP code on 190 of the 193 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 Mississippi City flood?
- Does North Gulfport flood?
- Does Landon flood?
- Does Orange Grove flood?
- Does Nugent 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 Harrison County (county code 28047), 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: 280470015021, 280470017002, 280470015012, 280470017001. 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.