Does River Oaks flood?
River Oaks, Norfolk, VA · ZIP code 23502: the ZIP code on 21 of the 22 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around River Oaks have filed flood claims. About 14% of River Oaks’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 22 claims from the Census block groups that cover River Oaks, from 1987 through 2016. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $91,981 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2009 (5 claims), 2016 (4 claims), 2003 (3 claims).
What this page counts as River Oaks
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for River Oaks, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, River Oaks 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 River Oaks (feature 1496152) and inside the Norfolk 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 River Oaks. 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 River Oaks
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 River Oaks
The named streets in River Oaks, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside River Oaks lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside River Oaks; 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. 53 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| E Virginia Beach Blvd | 3.7 mi | 2.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (81%) |
| US Hwy 13 | 3.3 mi | 11% | X (unshaded, minimal) (76%) |
| E Princess Anne Rd | 2.4 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (93%) |
| Kempsville Rd | 1.7 mi | 10% | X (unshaded, minimal) (79%) |
| Ussa Dr | 5,120 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Lance Rd | 4,490 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| I-64 | 4,080 ft | 1.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Raby Rd | 3,710 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Northampton Blvd | 3,310 ft | 7.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (93%) |
| State Rte 165 | 3,280 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Halstead Ave | 2,970 ft | 19% | X (unshaded, minimal) (57%) |
| Gabriel Dr | 2,870 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (87%) |
| Georgetown Rd | 2,760 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| River Oaks Dr | 2,730 ft | 8.2% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (63%) |
| S Cape Henry Ave | 2,510 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Janaf Pl | 2,460 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Shelton Ave | 2,390 ft | 4.9% | X (unshaded, minimal) (91%) |
| Sewells Point Rd | 2,390 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (92%) |
| Sabre Rd | 2,370 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pascal Pl | 2,270 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lake Wright Dr | 2,250 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lowery Rd | 2,220 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lockamy Ln | 2,070 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| I-64 (Express Lanes) | 2,050 ft | 1.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Ashby St | 1,990 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 November 5, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in River Oaks
Share of River Oaks’s mapped area (about 5.462 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 8 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (5101040038H, 5101040039H, 5101040076H, 5101040077H, 5155310014F, 5155310015F, 5155310076F, 5155310077G): May 4, 2009, January 16, 2015, February 17, 2017.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 79% |
| AE | 14% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 7.1% |
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 River Oaks. 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 | 1 | $543 |
| 1990s | 4 | $4,010 |
| 2000s | 10 | $35,065 |
| 2010s | 7 | $52,363 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Matthew: 4 claims
- Hurricane Isabel: 3 claims
- November 2009 Nor'easter: 2 claims
- Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims
- October severe storms: 1 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 15
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 7
How much is flood insurance in River Oaks?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in River Oaks costs $659 a year: the median of 73 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $479 and $840. 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 November 5, 2026.
Why home insurance costs what it does in River Oaks
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 River Oaks, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 23502: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $835 a year, the middle of 657 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $656 and $1,048. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 23502: NFIP records list 381 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 Norfolk, VA a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.373, which its methods call Low (below the 40th percentile). That is the city rating, not a rating of River Oaks alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
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 River Oaks?
ZIP code 23502: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $835 a year, the middle of 657 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $656 and $1,048. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 23502: NFIP records list 381 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
What do public fire and wind records show for River Oaks?
USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Norfolk, VA a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.373, which its methods call Low (below the 40th percentile). That is the city rating, not a rating of River Oaks alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in River Oaks?
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.
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Before you rent or buy in River Oaks
- 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 River Oaks
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare River Oaks with other Norfolk neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Norfolk on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does River Oaks flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around River Oaks have filed flood claims. About 14% of River Oaks’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 22 claims from the Census block groups that cover River Oaks, from 1987 through 2016. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $91,981 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2009 (5 claims), 2016 (4 claims), 2003 (3 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is River Oaks in a flood zone?
About 14% of River Oaks’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) 79%; AE 14%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 7.1%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect May 4, 2009, January 16, 2015, February 17, 2017.
Which streets in River Oaks are in a high-risk flood zone?
No street listed here has most of its length in FEMA high-risk zones. Less than 10% of E Virginia Beach Blvd, E Princess Anne Rd, Ussa Dr, Lance Rd, I-64, Raby Rd, Northampton Blvd and State Rte 165 does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is River Oaks in?
River Oaks is in Norfolk, VA. ZIP code 23502: the ZIP code on 21 of the 22 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 River Oaks?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in River Oaks cost $659 a year: the median of 73 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half cost between $479 and $840. 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 Newtown flood?
- Glen Rock
- Lansdale
- Does Estabrook Park flood?
- Does Ingleside flood?
- Does Broad Creek flood?
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 November 5, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for City of Norfolk (county code 51710), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved November 5, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 517100070011, 517100069013, 517100062001, 517100062002. 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 November 5, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on November 5, 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.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries.
- Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and November 5, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated November 5, 2026.