Does Riverview flood?
Riverview, Norfolk, VA · ZIP code 23504: the ZIP code on 147 of the 147 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Riverview have filed flood claims. About 59% of Riverview’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE). NFIP flood insurance records list 147 claims from the Census block groups that cover Riverview, from 1982 through 2019. 129 of them received a payment, totaling $1,976,548 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2009 (40 claims), 2003 (33 claims), 2011 (19 claims).
What this page counts as Riverview
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Riverview, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Riverview means the 2010 Census block groups whose center lies inside the National Register of Historic Places boundary of the Riverview (National Park Service) and inside the Norfolk city limits (U.S. Census Bureau). 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 Riverview. 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 Riverview
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 Riverview
The named streets in Riverview, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Riverview lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Riverview; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Ave | 2,180 ft | 29% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (49%) |
| E 39th St | 1,710 ft | 20% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (42%) |
| Lavalette Ave | 1,580 ft | 60% | AE (60%) |
| E 40th St | 1,580 ft | 30% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (62%) |
| Holly Ave | 1,500 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| E 41st St | 1,340 ft | 33% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (52%) |
| Lucile Ave | 1,310 ft | 74% | AE (74%) |
| E 42nd St | 1,010 ft | 64% | AE (64%) |
| Ethel Ave | 760 ft | 100% | AE (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 28, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Riverview
Share of Riverview’s mapped area (about 0.405 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 8 to 9 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (5101040018H, 5101040019H): February 17, 2017.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| AE | 59% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 26% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 15% |
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 Riverview. 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 | 3 | $2,104 |
| 1990s | 24 | $131,312 |
| 2000s | 84 | $1,265,090 |
| 2010s | 36 | $578,041 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- November 2009 Nor'easter: 39 claims
- Hurricane Isabel: 32 claims
- Hurricane Irene: 18 claims
- Hurricane Floyd: 13 claims
- Flooding: 9 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 127
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 20
How much is flood insurance in Riverview?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Riverview costs $824 a year: the median of 100 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $690 and $1,046. 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 28, 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in Riverview
- 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 Riverview
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Riverview with other Norfolk neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Norfolk on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Riverview flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Riverview have filed flood claims. About 59% of Riverview’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE). NFIP flood insurance records list 147 claims from the Census block groups that cover Riverview, from 1982 through 2019. 129 of them received a payment, totaling $1,976,548 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2009 (40 claims), 2003 (33 claims), 2011 (19 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Riverview in a flood zone?
About 59% of Riverview’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE). Shares by zone: AE 59%; X (unshaded, minimal) 26%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 15%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect February 17, 2017.
Which streets in Riverview are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Lavalette Ave, Holly Ave, Lucile Ave, E 42nd St and Ethel Ave lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Riverview in?
Riverview is in Norfolk, VA. ZIP code 23504: the ZIP code on 147 of the 147 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 Riverview?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Riverview cost $824 a year: the median of 100 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $690 and $1,046. 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
- Colonial Place
- Does Lakewood flood?
- Huntersville
- Park Place
- Lafayette Residence Park
- Wards Corner
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 28, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for City of Norfolk (county code 51710), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 28, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 517100028001. 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 28, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 28, 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 28, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 28, 2026.