Does Sussex flood?
Sussex, Norfolk, VA · ZIP codes 23505 and 23518: 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 Sussex have filed flood claims. About 31% of Sussex’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 21 claims from the Census block groups that cover Sussex, from 1990 through 2020. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $104,509 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2009 (4 claims), 2020 (3 claims), 2003 (3 claims).
What this page counts as Sussex
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Sussex, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Sussex 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 Sussex (feature 1497172) 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 Sussex. 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 Sussex
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 in Sussex
Share of Sussex’s mapped area (about 27.012 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 13 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (5101040004H, 5101040008H, 5101040009H, 5101040011H, 5101040012H, 5101040014H, 5101040016H, 5101040017H, 5155290029D, 5155290036D, 5155290037D, 5155290039D): August 3, 2015, February 17, 2017.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 40% |
| VE | 15% |
| AE | 15% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 14% |
| Open water | 12% |
| AO | 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 Sussex. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3 | $17,210 |
| 2000s | 11 | $55,176 |
| 2010s | 4 | $17,196 |
| 2020s | 3 | $14,925 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- November 2009 Nor'easter: 4 claims
- Hurricane Isabel: 3 claims
- Hurricane Eta: 2 claims
- Hurricane Floyd: 2 claims
- Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 16
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 5
How much is flood insurance in Sussex?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Sussex costs $591 a year: the median of 52 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $448 and $723. 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 Sussex
- 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 Sussex
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Sussex with other Norfolk neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Norfolk on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Sussex flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Sussex have filed flood claims. About 31% of Sussex’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 21 claims from the Census block groups that cover Sussex, from 1990 through 2020. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $104,509 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2009 (4 claims), 2020 (3 claims), 2003 (3 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Sussex in a flood zone?
About 31% of Sussex’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) 40%; VE 15%; AE 15%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 14%; Open water 12%; AO 0.2%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect August 3, 2015, February 17, 2017.
What ZIP code is Sussex in?
Sussex is in Norfolk, VA. ZIP codes 23505 and 23518: 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 Sussex?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Sussex cost $591 a year: the median of 52 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $448 and $723. 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
- Ocean View
- Edgewater
- Northside
- Pamlico
- Meadowbrook
- Colonial Heights
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: 517100009021, 517100013002, 517100015002, 517100016001. 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.
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 28, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 28, 2026.