Does Old Town flood?
Old Town, Key West, FL · ZIP code 33040: the ZIP code on 778 of the 780 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Old Town have filed flood claims. About 42% of Old Town’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 780 claims from the Census block groups that cover Old Town, from 1980 through 2025. 456 of them received a payment, totaling $16,513,311 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (356 claims), 1998 (178 claims), 2017 (80 claims).
What this page counts as Old Town
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Old Town, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Old Town means the 2010 Census block groups whose center lies inside the National Register of Historic Places boundary of the Key West Historic District and Key West Historic District (Boundary Increase) (National Park Service) and inside the Key West city limits (U.S. Census Bureau). Old Town here is the National Register's Key West Historic District with its boundary increase. 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 Old Town. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places boundaries (NRHP polygons) 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 Old Town
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 Old Town
The named streets in Old Town, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Old Town lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Old Town; 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. 39 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| White St | 1.4 mi | 57% | AE (43%) |
| Olivia St | 1.2 mi | 16% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (56%) |
| Truman Ave | 1.2 mi | 17% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (58%) |
| Angela St | 5,060 ft | 24% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (43%) |
| Catherine St | 4,930 ft | 29% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (55%) |
| United St | 4,910 ft | 36% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (64%) |
| Grinnell St | 4,670 ft | 49% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (51%) |
| Petronia St | 4,450 ft | 27% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (40%) |
| Simonton St | 4,290 ft | 25% | X (unshaded, minimal) (69%) |
| Fleming St | 4,200 ft | 35% | X (unshaded, minimal) (55%) |
| Southard St | 4,160 ft | 30% | X (unshaded, minimal) (59%) |
| South St | 3,970 ft | 77% | AE (77%) |
| Virginia St | 3,720 ft | 18% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (62%) |
| William St | 3,710 ft | 26% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (57%) |
| Washington St | 3,560 ft | 84% | AE (84%) |
| Duval St | 3,380 ft | 17% | X (unshaded, minimal) (62%) |
| Elizabeth St | 2,580 ft | 2.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (83%) |
| Frances St | 2,530 ft | 38% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (62%) |
| Seminary St | 2,480 ft | 34% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (66%) |
| Georgia St | 2,450 ft | 18% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (82%) |
| Margaret St | 2,210 ft | 44% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (56%) |
| Thomas St | 2,160 ft | 0.5% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (68%) |
| Whitehead St | 2,140 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (65%) |
| Windsor Ln | 2,080 ft | 33% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (62%) |
| Florida St | 2,040 ft | 66% | AE (66%) |
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 29, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Old Town
Share of Old Town’s mapped area (about 2.806 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 6 to 12 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (12087C1516K, 12087C1517K): February 18, 2005.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 31% |
| AE | 28% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 16% |
| VE | 14% |
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 Old Town. 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 | 87 | $174,017 |
| 1990s | 225 | $1,340,786 |
| 2000s | 367 | $14,226,372 |
| 2010s | 82 | $216,969 |
| 2020s | 19 | $555,166 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Wilma: 320 claims
- Hurricane Georges (Keys): 174 claims
- Hurricane Irma: 80 claims
- Flooding: 67 claims
- Hurricane Ian: 16 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 562
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 188
- V/VE (coastal high hazard): 30
How much is flood insurance in Old Town?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Old Town costs $1,458 a year: the median of 475 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $1,140 and $2,174. 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 29, 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in Old Town
- 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 Old Town
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Old Town with other Key West neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Key West on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Old Town flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Old Town have filed flood claims. About 42% of Old Town’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 780 claims from the Census block groups that cover Old Town, from 1980 through 2025. 456 of them received a payment, totaling $16,513,311 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (356 claims), 1998 (178 claims), 2017 (80 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Old Town in a flood zone?
About 42% of Old Town’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) 31%; AE 28%; X (unshaded, minimal) 16%; VE 14%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect February 18, 2005.
Which streets in Old Town are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of White St, South St, Washington St and Florida St lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of Elizabeth St, Thomas St and Whitehead St does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Old Town in?
Old Town is in Key West, FL. ZIP code 33040: the ZIP code on 778 of the 780 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 Old Town?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Old Town cost $1,458 a year: the median of 475 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $1,140 and $2,174. 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
How these numbers were made
Area: the census-based definition above, using U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places boundaries (NRHP polygons) 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 29, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Monroe County (county code 12087), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 29, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 120879722001, 120879724001, 120879724003, 120879723002, 120879723001, 120879726001, 120879723003. 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 29, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places boundaries (NRHP polygons) 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 29, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 29, 2026.