Does Bay Ridge flood?
Bay Ridge, League City, TX · ZIP code 77573: the ZIP code on 362 of the 371 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Bay Ridge have filed flood claims. About 36% of Bay Ridge’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 371 claims from the Census block groups that cover Bay Ridge, from 1979 through 2021. 307 of them received a payment, totaling $12,440,710 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2017 (120 claims), 1979 (88 claims), 1989 (72 claims).
What this page counts as Bay Ridge
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Bay Ridge, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Bay Ridge 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 Bay Ridge (feature 2471685) and inside the League City city limits (U.S. Census Bureau), 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 Bay Ridge. 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 Bay Ridge
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 Bay Ridge
The named streets in Bay Ridge, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Bay Ridge lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Bay Ridge; 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. 162 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Hwy 96 | 4.7 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (70%) |
| 16th St | 4.6 mi | 17% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (48%) |
| State Hwy 146 | 2.1 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (58%) |
| Lake Landing Dr | 1.8 mi | 98% | AE (98%) |
| Dickinson Ave | 1.6 mi | 7.7% | X (unshaded, minimal) (72%) |
| S Shore Blvd | 1.5 mi | 54% | AE (54%) |
| Madrid Ln | 1.3 mi | 62% | AE (62%) |
| Las Olas Pass | 1.2 mi | 46% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (48%) |
| Isla Vista Dr | 1.1 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (63%) |
| Bayridge Dr | 3,470 ft | 54% | AE (54%) |
| Isla Canela Ln | 3,300 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (60%) |
| Lake Star Dr | 3,270 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Summer Manor Dr | 3,060 ft | 82% | AE (82%) |
| Nacogdoches Valley Ln | 3,050 ft | 77% | AE (77%) |
| S FM 270 | 2,880 ft | 1.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| St Christopher | 2,880 ft | 1.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Sunset Terrace Dr | 2,700 ft | 78% | AE (78%) |
| Lago Nicola | 2,650 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pebble Brook Dr | 2,640 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Virginia Ave | 2,630 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (83%) |
| Ohio St | 2,590 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (70%) |
| Tuscan Lakes Blvd | 2,580 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Isla Vista Cir | 2,560 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (100%) |
| Bishop's Brg | 2,530 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| La Escalona Dr | 2,450 ft | 0.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (62%) |
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 31, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Bay Ridge
Share of Bay Ridge’s mapped area (about 13.662 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 13 to 15 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (48167C0043G, 48167C0044G, 48167C0063G, 48167C0230G, 48167C0235G, 48167C0255G): August 15, 2019.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 36% |
| AE | 35% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 28% |
| A | 0.2% |
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 Bay Ridge. 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 | 88 | $586,257 |
| 1980s | 114 | $1,061,986 |
| 1990s | 11 | $65,075 |
| 2000s | 36 | $212,860 |
| 2010s | 121 | $10,514,531 |
| 2020s | 1 | $0 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Harvey: 119 claims
- Tropical Storm Claudette: 68 claims
- Hurricane Chantel: 67 claims
- Hurricane Alicia: 37 claims
- Flooding: 27 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 359
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 11
- Not reported: 1
Why home insurance costs what it does in Bay Ridge
This section is educational and is not insurance advice.
Flood insurance
ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. This is a ZIP code on at least 5% of the flood claims counted for Bay Ridge, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 77573: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,074 a year, the middle of 12,527 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $889 and $1,226. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 77573: NFIP records list 4,382 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
Fire and wind
- USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives League City, TX a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.790, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of Bay Ridge alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) policies provide wind coverage for property located in 14 coastal counties and parts of Harris County east of Highway 146. Galveston is named in the county list: The counties are Aransas, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Chambers, Galveston, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Matagorda, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio and Willacy.
The insurance market in Texas
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association: Total policies in force, as of 6/30/2026: 288,676.
- Texas FAIR Plan Association: As of June 30, 2026: TFPA insures 118,486 properties.
What to ask your agent
- Ask the agent how old the roof is.
- Ask whether a wind-mitigation discount is available for this house.
- Ask how flood coverage differs from the homeowners policy. A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood. Flood coverage is a separate policy.
- Ask whether the policy has a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible, and how that deductible is calculated.
- Ask when coverage would start. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase.
Flood coverage and the 30-day wait: FEMA fact sheet, Jan. 21, 2025; 44 CFR 61.11.
What do NFIP records show for flood insurance in Bay Ridge?
ZIP code 77573: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,074 a year, the middle of 12,527 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $889 and $1,226. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 77573: NFIP records list 4,382 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
How big are the last-resort insurance plans in Texas?
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association: Total policies in force, as of 6/30/2026: 288,676. Texas FAIR Plan Association: As of June 30, 2026: TFPA insures 118,486 properties.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in Bay Ridge?
Ask the agent how old the roof is. Ask whether a wind-mitigation discount is available for this house. Ask how flood coverage differs from the homeowners policy. A standard homeowners policy does not cover flood. Flood coverage is a separate policy. Ask whether the policy has a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible, and how that deductible is calculated. Ask when coverage would start. A new National Flood Insurance Program policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase.
Sources: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3; OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3; USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries; Wildfire Risk to Communities methods; Texas Department of Insurance, Texas homeowners insurance market overview; Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Overview; Texas FAIR Plan Association Fact Book, Q2 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in Bay Ridge
- 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 Bay Ridge
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Bay Ridge with other League City neighborhoods on more than flooding, see League City on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Bay Ridge flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Bay Ridge have filed flood claims. About 36% of Bay Ridge’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 371 claims from the Census block groups that cover Bay Ridge, from 1979 through 2021. 307 of them received a payment, totaling $12,440,710 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2017 (120 claims), 1979 (88 claims), 1989 (72 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Bay Ridge in a flood zone?
About 36% of Bay Ridge’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) 36%; AE 35%; X (unshaded, minimal) 28%; A 0.2%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect August 15, 2019.
Which streets in Bay Ridge are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Lake Landing Dr, S Shore Blvd, Madrid Ln, Bayridge Dr, Lake Star Dr, Summer Manor Dr, Nacogdoches Valley Ln, Sunset Terrace Dr, Pebble Brook Dr and Bishop's Brg lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of State Hwy 96, State Hwy 146, Dickinson Ave, Isla Vista Dr, Isla Canela Ln, S FM 270, St Christopher and Lago Nicola does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Bay Ridge in?
Bay Ridge is in League City, TX. ZIP code 77573: the ZIP code on 362 of the 371 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
- Meadow Bend
- Oaks of Clear Creek
- South Shore Village
- Does Glen Cove flood?
- Brittany Bay
- Does Lakeside 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 31, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Galveston County (county code 48167), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 481677212021. 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 31, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 31, 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.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries.
- Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas homeowners insurance market overview.
- Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Overview.
- Texas FAIR Plan Association Fact Book, Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 31, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 31, 2026.