Does CBD flood?
CBD, Miami, FL · ZIP codes 33132, 33131 and 33130: 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 CBD have filed flood claims. About 31% of CBD’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 59 claims from the Census block groups that cover CBD, from 1979 through 2022. 31 of them received a payment, totaling $1,005,284 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1979 (9 claims), 2017 (7 claims), 1992 (6 claims).
CBD is one of the neighborhoods we group as Downtown Miami; see that page for the combined flood numbers.
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 (or the Miami-Dade County Flood Zone map viewer) and get flood insurance quotes before you sign a lease or a contract.
Check a specific address in CBD
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 CBD
The named streets in CBD, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside CBD lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside CBD; 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.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biscayne Blvd | 2,850 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| SE 1st St | 2,080 ft | 32% | X (unshaded, minimal) (63%) |
| E Flagler St | 2,030 ft | 24% | X (unshaded, minimal) (66%) |
| NE 1st St | 2,000 ft | 10% | X (unshaded, minimal) (80%) |
| NE 2nd St | 1,980 ft | 7.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (86%) |
| SE 2nd St | 1,560 ft | 24% | X (unshaded, minimal) (70%) |
| SE 2nd Ave | 1,490 ft | 7.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (88%) |
| NE 3rd St | 1,260 ft | 9.2% | X (unshaded, minimal) (75%) |
| SW 2nd St | 1,230 ft | 84% | AE (84%) |
| SE 3rd Ave | 1,200 ft | 28% | X (unshaded, minimal) (49%) |
| NE 1st Ave | 1,050 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| NE 2nd Ave | 1,050 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N Miami Ave | 1,040 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| SE 3rd St | 990 ft | 44% | X (unshaded, minimal) (49%) |
| SE 1st Ave | 970 ft | 23% | X (unshaded, minimal) (77%) |
| S Miami Ave | 920 ft | 74% | AE (74%) |
| Biscayne Blvd Way | 880 ft | 55% | AE (55%) |
| NE 3rd Ave | 690 ft | 23% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (41%) |
| SW 1st St | 650 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| SW 1st Ave | 560 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| NW 1st St | 490 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 24, 2026. Each street is clipped to the neighborhood boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in CBD
Share of CBD’s mapped area (about 0.548 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 9 to 13 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (12086C0314L, 12086C0318L): September 11, 2009.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 60% |
| AE | 31% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 8.3% |
| VE | 0.6% |
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 CBD. About 66% of the combined area of those block groups lies inside CBD, so the claim figures also reflect some nearby blocks. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9 | $3,765 |
| 1980s | 11 | $8,833 |
| 1990s | 18 | $375,499 |
| 2000s | 9 | $336,101 |
| 2010s | 11 | $218,759 |
| 2020s | 1 | $62,328 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 10 claims
- Hurricane Andrew: 6 claims
- Hurricane Irene: 5 claims
- Hurricane Irma: 4 claims
- Hurricane Opal: 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): 33
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 21
- V/VE (coastal high hazard): 5
How much is flood insurance in CBD?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on homes and units (one building or unit per policy) in CBD costs $553 a year: the median of 50 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $393 and $712. 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 24, 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in CBD
- 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.
- Hiring movers? Check the moving company’s federal license and insurance first with the free Miami mover check.
Living in CBD
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. For what day-to-day life in CBD is like, from parks to errands, see Living in CBD, Miami on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does CBD flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around CBD have filed flood claims. About 31% of CBD’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 59 claims from the Census block groups that cover CBD, from 1979 through 2022. 31 of them received a payment, totaling $1,005,284 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1979 (9 claims), 2017 (7 claims), 1992 (6 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is CBD in a flood zone?
About 31% of CBD’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) 60%; AE 31%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 8.3%; VE 0.6%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect September 11, 2009.
Which streets in CBD are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Biscayne Blvd, SW 2nd St, S Miami Ave, Biscayne Blvd Way, SW 1st St and SW 1st Ave lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of NE 2nd St, SE 2nd Ave, NE 3rd St, NE 1st Ave, NE 2nd Ave, N Miami Ave and NW 1st St does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is CBD in?
CBD is in Miami, FL. ZIP codes 33132, 33131 and 33130: 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.
How much is flood insurance in CBD?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on homes and units (one building or unit per policy) in CBD cost $553 a year: the median of 50 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $393 and $712. 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 Parkwest flood?
- Bayfront – living in Bayfront (StrollPlace)
- MDCC – living in MDCC (StrollPlace)
- Government Center – living in Government Center (StrollPlace)
- Riverfront – living in Riverfront (StrollPlace)
- Bicentennial Park – living in Bicentennial Park (StrollPlace)
How these numbers were made
Neighborhood boundary: City of Miami, Miami Neighborhoods (ArcGIS feature service). 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 24, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Miami-Dade County (county code 12086), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 24, 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: 120860037041 (77.1% of the block group is inside CBD), 120860037051 (40.1% of the block group is inside CBD), 120860037071 (47.6% of the block group is inside CBD), 120860037031 (85.5% of the block group is inside CBD). 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 24, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 24, 2026.
- City of Miami, Miami Neighborhoods (ArcGIS feature service).
- 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.
- 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 24, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 24, 2026.