Does South Miami Heights flood?
South Miami Heights, Kendall, FL · ZIP codes 33177, 33157 and 33189: the ZIP codes on most of the flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around South Miami Heights have filed flood claims. About 28% of South Miami Heights’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 1,649 claims from the Census block groups that cover South Miami Heights, from 1979 through 2023. 1,066 of them received a payment, totaling $30,873,553 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (911 claims), 1992 (270 claims), 1999 (249 claims).
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 South Miami Heights
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone and the hurricane evacuation zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in South Miami Heights
The named streets in South Miami Heights, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside South Miami Heights lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside South Miami Heights; 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. 144 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| SW 117th Ave | 4.5 mi | 22% | X (unshaded, minimal) (78%) |
| SW 122nd Ave | 2.4 mi | 33% | X (unshaded, minimal) (67%) |
| Homestead Extension of Florida's Tpke | 2.3 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| SW 200th St | 2.2 mi | 23% | X (unshaded, minimal) (77%) |
| SW 118th Ave | 2.1 mi | 1.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (99%) |
| SW 119th Ave | 1.9 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Quail Roost Dr | 1.9 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| SW 187th St | 1.9 mi | 4.1% | X (unshaded, minimal) (96%) |
| SW 189th St | 1.9 mi | 7.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (92%) |
| SW 187th Ter | 1.8 mi | 9.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (90%) |
| SW 115th Ave | 1.8 mi | 7.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (92%) |
| Florida Tpke Exd | 1.8 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| SW 188th St | 1.6 mi | 8.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (92%) |
| SW 184th St | 1.6 mi | 0.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| SW 185th Ter | 1.6 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Caribbean Blvd | 1.6 mi | 32% | X (unshaded, minimal) (67%) |
| SW 127th Ave | 1.5 mi | 3.8% | X (unshaded, minimal) (96%) |
| Burr Rd | 1.5 mi | 3.8% | X (unshaded, minimal) (96%) |
| Eureka Dr | 1.5 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| SW 190th St | 1.5 mi | 41% | X (unshaded, minimal) (59%) |
| SW 120th Ave | 1.4 mi | 2.9% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Colonial Rd | 1.4 mi | 42% | X (unshaded, minimal) (58%) |
| SW 114th Ave | 1.4 mi | 56% | AH (56%) |
| SW 123rd Ave | 1.4 mi | 49% | X (unshaded, minimal) (51%) |
| SW 192nd St | 1.4 mi | 16% | X (unshaded, minimal) (84%) |
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 30, 2026. Each street is clipped to the neighborhood boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in South Miami Heights
Share of South Miami Heights’s mapped area (about 12.907 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 (12086C0581L, 12086C0582L, 12086C0583L, 12086C0584L, 12086C0601L, 12086C0603L): September 11, 2009.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 72% |
| AH | 26% |
| AE | 1.5% |
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 South Miami Heights. About 87% of the combined area of those block groups lies inside South Miami Heights. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2 | $198 |
| 1980s | 28 | $13,557 |
| 1990s | 541 | $1,862,448 |
| 2000s | 1,028 | $28,531,122 |
| 2010s | 47 | $466,227 |
| 2020s | 3 | $0 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Katrina: 801 claims
- Hurricane Andrew: 265 claims
- Hurricane Irene: 237 claims
- Flooding: 112 claims
- Hurricane Wilma: 46 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 1,531
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 102
- Not reported: 13
- Other (D): 3
How much is flood insurance in South Miami Heights?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in South Miami Heights costs $956 a year: the median of 365 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $758 and $1,156. 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 30, 2026.
Insurance agency or real estate agent? Sponsor this page.
Hurricane evacuation zone
About 76% of South Miami Heights is in Zone C of Miami-Dade County’s storm surge evacuation zones (Miami-Dade County, Storm Surge Planning Zones (Hurricane Evacuation Zone feature layer)).
| Zone | What the county says it means | Share of South Miami Heights |
|---|---|---|
| Zone B | at risk of storm surge in a Category 2 and higher hurricane | 8.7% |
| Zone C | at risk of storm surge in a Category 3 and higher hurricane | 76% |
| Zone D | at risk of storm surge in a Category 4 and higher hurricane | 15% |
Miami-Dade County draws these Storm Surge Planning Zones from NHC’s SLOSH storm surge model. The county says that when a storm threatens, each zone, or parts of a zone, is evacuated depending on the hurricane’s track and projected storm surge, independent of the hurricane’s category, and that the zones deal strictly with storm surge, not your flood zone (Miami-Dade County: Storm Surge (Storm Surge Planning Zones)). The zones and NHC’s maps above are separate products, so they do not always line up.
Zones can split a street. Confirm the exact address with the county (Miami-Dade County: Storm Surge (Storm Surge Planning Zones)) and follow official evacuation orders. Miami-Dade County provides this data “as is”; the county says the areas are approximate and not suitable for site-specific decision making.
Before you rent or buy in South Miami Heights
- 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 South Miami Heights
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare South Miami Heights with other Kendall neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Kendall on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does South Miami Heights flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around South Miami Heights have filed flood claims. About 28% of South Miami Heights’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 1,649 claims from the Census block groups that cover South Miami Heights, from 1979 through 2023. 1,066 of them received a payment, totaling $30,873,553 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (911 claims), 1992 (270 claims), 1999 (249 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is South Miami Heights in a flood zone?
About 28% of South Miami Heights’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) 72%; AH 26%; AE 1.5%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect September 11, 2009.
Which streets in South Miami Heights are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of SW 114th Ave lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of Homestead Extension of Florida's Tpke, SW 118th Ave, SW 119th Ave, Quail Roost Dr, SW 187th St, SW 189th St, SW 187th Ter and SW 115th Ave does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is South Miami Heights in?
South Miami Heights is in Kendall, FL. ZIP codes 33177, 33157 and 33189: the ZIP codes on most of the 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.
Is South Miami Heights in a hurricane evacuation zone?
About 76% of South Miami Heights is in Zone C of Miami-Dade County’s storm surge evacuation zones. Check the exact address with the county and follow official orders.
How much is flood insurance in South Miami Heights?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in South Miami Heights cost $956 a year: the median of 365 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $758 and $1,156. 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 Palmetto Estates flood?
- Does Richmond West flood?
- Does Three Lakes flood?
- Does Richmond Heights flood?
- Does Kendall flood?
- Does Country Walk flood?
How these numbers were made
Neighborhood boundary: U.S. Census Bureau, Census Designated Places (TIGERweb): the unincorporated communities around Kendall. Flood zone shares: the neighborhood polygon intersected with FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, area computed in an equal-area projection; retrieved October 30, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Miami-Dade County (county code 12086), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026. A 2010 Census block group is counted for a neighborhood when at least 25% of the block group lies inside the neighborhood, or at least 25% of the neighborhood lies inside the block group. Block groups used: 120860102053 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860203001 (98.4% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102044 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860203002 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102081 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102082 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102091 (58.3% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860202002 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102102 (51.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102043 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102103 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102071 (54.6% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102084 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860203003 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102054 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102083 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102072 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102052 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102051 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102042 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102041 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102092 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102104 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights), 120860102101 (100.0% of the block group is inside South Miami Heights). 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. Evacuation zones: the polygon intersected with Miami-Dade County’s zone polygons in an equal-area projection; shares below 0.1% are left out. See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on October 30, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 30, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Census Designated Places (TIGERweb): the unincorporated communities around Kendall.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups.
- 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.
- Miami-Dade County, Storm Surge Planning Zones (Hurricane Evacuation Zone feature layer) (retrieved October 30, 2026).
- Miami-Dade County: Storm Surge (Storm Surge Planning Zones).
- 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 30, 2026 (flood zones); hazard data computed October 30, 2026. Page last updated October 30, 2026.