Does Montclair flood?
Montclair, Oakland, CA · ZIP code 94611: the ZIP code on 38 of the 39 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Montclair have filed flood claims. About 0.8% of Montclair’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 39 claims from the Census block groups that cover Montclair, from 1978 through 2023. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $63,011 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1983 (5 claims), 1995 (4 claims), 1998 (4 claims).
What this page counts as Montclair
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Montclair, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Montclair 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 Montclair (feature 2123544) and inside the Oakland 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 Montclair. 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 Montclair
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone and California’s fire hazard severity zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in Montclair
The named streets in Montclair, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Montclair lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Montclair; 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. 100 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Fwy | 3.4 mi | 1.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Skyline Blvd | 2.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (89%) |
| Thornhill Dr | 1.9 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (90%) |
| Snake Rd | 1.8 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Moraga Ave | 1.8 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Colton Blvd | 1.5 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Estates Dr | 1.4 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Saroni Dr | 1.4 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Shepherd Canyon Rd | 1.4 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Mountain Blvd | 1.3 mi | 3.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Broadway Ter | 1.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Merriewood Dr | 1.0 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pinehaven Rd | 5,050 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Westover Dr | 4,880 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Thorndale Dr | 4,580 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (92%) |
| Harbord Dr | 4,280 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Valley View Rd | 4,270 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Balboa Dr | 4,200 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Girvin Dr | 4,150 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Arrowhead Dr | 4,020 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Elverton Dr | 3,900 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (92%) |
| La Salle Ave | 3,870 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Manzanita Dr | 3,820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Magellan Dr | 3,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Zinn Dr | 3,600 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 4, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Montclair
Share of Montclair’s mapped area (about 7.215 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (06001C0080G, 06001C0085G): August 3, 2009.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 96% |
| D | 2.6% |
| AE | 0.8% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 0.1% |
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 Montclair. 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 | 3 | $3,015 |
| 1980s | 12 | $0 |
| 1990s | 16 | $44,234 |
| 2000s | 1 | $2,133 |
| 2010s | 5 | $12,153 |
| 2020s | 2 | $1,475 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 15 claims
- California Atmospheric River: 1 claims
- Pineapple Express - Southern: 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): 22
- Not reported: 9
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 8
How much is flood insurance in Montclair?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Montclair costs $1,398 a year: the median of 41 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $874 and $1,737. 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 4, 2026.
Why home insurance costs what it does in Montclair
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 Montclair, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 94611: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,061 a year, the middle of 67 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $668 and $1,521. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 94611: NFIP records list 61 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2023. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
Fire and wind
- Official state fire hazard maps: Very High 20.5%, High 10.4%, Moderate 17%, outside any mapped zone 52.1% of Montclair. The publisher of these maps does not endorse this site.
- USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Oakland, CA a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.824, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of Montclair 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 Montclair?
ZIP code 94611: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,061 a year, the middle of 67 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $668 and $1,521. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 94611: NFIP records list 61 flood claims with a loss year from 1978 through 2023. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
What do public fire and wind records show for Montclair?
Official state fire hazard maps: Very High 20.5%, High 10.4%, Moderate 17%, outside any mapped zone 52.1% of Montclair. The publisher of these maps does not endorse this site. USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Oakland, CA a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.824, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of Montclair alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in Montclair?
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; Fire Hazard Severity Zones; USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries; Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
Insurance agency or real estate agent? Sponsor this page.
Extreme heat in Montclair
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates heat wave risk for the census tracts that cover Montclair as: “Relatively Low” for 48%; “Relatively Moderate” for 37%; “Very Low” for 15% of the area. Their heat wave risk scores range from 13 to 63 out of 100 (national percentiles). The index weighs how often heat waves happen, what they are expected to cost, and how vulnerable and resilient the community is, so a dense area can rate differently from a nearby one (FEMA National Risk Index, Census Tracts feature layer, Version 1.20.0 (December 2025)).
Trees shade streets and buildings and cool the air around them (U.S. EPA: Using Trees and Vegetation to Reduce Heat Islands). In the USDA Forest Service’s 2025 satellite-based tree canopy map, trees cover about 35% of Montclair’s area on average, compared with 16% for Oakland as a whole (the 4 Oakland areas on this site combined) (USDA Forest Service. 2026. USFS NLCD Percent Tree Canopy CONUS v2025-6 (2025 map). Salt Lake City, UT).
During a heat advisory, follow the National Weather Service: Heat Safety guidance. Neighborhood averages cannot tell you how hot a particular home, block or unit gets.
Fire hazard severity zones in Montclair
California’s 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps place about 20% of Montclair’s mapped area in a Very High fire hazard severity zone, 10% in High and 17% in Moderate; 52% is outside any zone (CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones).
The zones describe the fire hazard of the land, from vegetation, terrain, fire weather and wind-blown embers, not the risk to a particular home. Homes in these zones face stricter building and defensible-space rules, sellers must disclose the zone to buyers, and home insurance can be harder to find. Ask about the roof, vents and the clearance around the building, and get insurance quotes early.
Fire hazard data: CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal. CAL FIRE does not endorse this site.
This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). FEMA: “The National Risk Index data are meant for planning purposes only. This National Risk Index dataset was created for broad nationwide comparisons and is not a substitute for localized risk assessment analysis.”
Before you rent or buy in Montclair
- 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 Montclair
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Montclair with other Oakland neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Oakland on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Montclair flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Montclair have filed flood claims. About 0.8% of Montclair’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 39 claims from the Census block groups that cover Montclair, from 1978 through 2023. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $63,011 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1983 (5 claims), 1995 (4 claims), 1998 (4 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Montclair in a flood zone?
About 0.8% of Montclair’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) 96%; D 2.6%; AE 0.8%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 0.1%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect August 3, 2009.
Which streets in Montclair 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 Warren Fwy, Skyline Blvd, Thornhill Dr, Snake Rd, Moraga Ave, Colton Blvd, Estates Dr and Saroni Dr does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Montclair in?
Montclair is in Oakland, CA. ZIP code 94611: the ZIP code on 38 of the 39 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.
Is Montclair in a fire hazard zone?
About 48% of Montclair’s mapped area is in a moderate, high or very high fire hazard severity zone on California’s 2025 maps. The zone for one address can differ; the address check on this site looks it up.
How much is flood insurance in Montclair?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Montclair cost $1,398 a year: the median of 41 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half cost between $874 and $1,737. 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
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 November 4, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Alameda County (county code 06001), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved November 4, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 060014042001, 060014045011, 060014044003, 060014045023, 060014045022, 060014044002, 060014046001, 060014045024, 060014045021. 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. Tree canopy: the mean of the 2025 NLCD Tree Canopy Cover values (0–100%, 30 m cells in an equal-area projection) for cells whose center lies inside the polygon. Fire hazard severity zones: the 2025 zone polygons (Local and State Responsibility Areas) intersected with the neighborhood polygon in an equal-area projection; the share of area in each class. FEMA National Risk Index: census tracts intersected with the polygon in an equal-area projection; each rating’s share is the share of the polygon covered by tracts with that rating (tracts covering less than 1% are left out; together the tracts used cover 100%). We do not compute a new score. Tracts used: 06001404502 (42%), 06001404400 (27%), 06001404501 (15%), 06001404600 (9.8%), 06001404200 (5.7%). See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on November 4, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on November 4, 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.
- USDA Forest Service. 2026. USFS NLCD Percent Tree Canopy CONUS v2025-6 (2025 map). Salt Lake City, UT (30 m cells; read November 4, 2026).
- National Weather Service: Heat Safety.
- U.S. EPA: Using Trees and Vegetation to Reduce Heat Islands.
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones (2025 maps; read November 4, 2026).
- FEMA National Risk Index, Census Tracts feature layer, Version 1.20.0 (December 2025) (retrieved November 4, 2026).
- FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Policies - v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
- 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 4, 2026 (flood zones); hazard data computed November 4, 2026. Page last updated November 4, 2026.