Does Melbourne flood?
Melbourne, Palm Bay, FL · ZIP codes 32934, 32935, 32901 and 32903: 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 Melbourne have filed flood claims. About 21% of Melbourne’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 862 claims from the Census block groups that cover Melbourne, from 1979 through 2026. 608 of them received a payment, totaling $12,874,420 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2008 (328 claims), 2017 (135 claims), 1995 (114 claims).
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 Melbourne
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 Melbourne
The named streets in Melbourne, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Melbourne lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Melbourne; 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. 1096 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Hwy 518 | 13.8 mi | 14% | X (unshaded, minimal) (83%) |
| W Eau Gallie Blvd | 6.3 mi | 28% | X (unshaded, minimal) (72%) |
| N Wickham Rd | 6.0 mi | 6.4% | X (unshaded, minimal) (91%) |
| N Harbor City Blvd | 5.7 mi | 1.9% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| State Hwy 507 | 5.0 mi | 1.7% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| S Babcock St | 4.5 mi | 1.1% | X (unshaded, minimal) (99%) |
| Sarno Rd | 3.9 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (95%) |
| Croton Rd | 3.8 mi | 1.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Parkway Dr | 3.5 mi | 18% | X (unshaded, minimal) (82%) |
| S Harbor City Blvd | 3.4 mi | 1.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (99%) |
| Lake Washington Rd | 3.1 mi | 7.2% | X (unshaded, minimal) (88%) |
| I-95 | 3.1 mi | 6.7% | X (unshaded, minimal) (93%) |
| W Nasa Blvd | 3.1 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| S Apollo Blvd | 2.6 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Turtle Mound Rd | 2.4 mi | 28% | X (unshaded, minimal) (72%) |
| E University Blvd | 2.4 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pineapple Ave | 2.3 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| W New Haven Ave | 2.3 mi | 0.9% | X (unshaded, minimal) (99%) |
| Aurora Rd | 2.2 mi | 4.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (91%) |
| Dairy Rd | 2.1 mi | 0.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| St Johns Heritage Pkwy | 2.1 mi | 6.1% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (53%) |
| Post Rd | 2.0 mi | 4.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (95%) |
| E Strawbridge Ave | 2.0 mi | 12% | X (unshaded, minimal) (88%) |
| St Michael Pl | 1.8 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| W Hibiscus Blvd | 1.8 mi | 0.6% | X (unshaded, minimal) (77%) |
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 2, 2026. Each street is clipped to the neighborhood boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Melbourne
Share of Melbourne’s mapped area (about 129.575 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 2 to 11 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (12009C0510H, 12009C0514G, 12009C0515G, 12009C0516G, 12009C0517H, 12009C0518G, 12009C0519H, 12009C0538H, 12009C0539H, 12009C0575G, 12009C0577G, 12009C0579G, 12009C0580G, 12009C0581G, 12009C0582H, 12009C0583G, 12009C0584G, 12009C0590G, 12009C0595G, 12009C0601H, 12009C0602H, 12009C0603H, 12009C0604H, 12009C0611G): March 17, 2014, January 29, 2021.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 64% |
| AE | 16% |
| Open water | 8.0% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 6.7% |
| A | 3.5% |
| VE | 1.5% |
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 Melbourne. About 84% of the combined area of those block groups lies inside Melbourne. Several of these block groups extend over open water, which the Census includes in block-group boundaries; counting land only (Census land and water areas), about 96% lies inside Melbourne. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3 | $630 |
| 1980s | 10 | $38,283 |
| 1990s | 202 | $1,319,876 |
| 2000s | 453 | $6,758,553 |
| 2010s | 174 | $4,636,100 |
| 2020s | 20 | $120,978 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Tropical Storm Fay: 319 claims
- Hurricane Irma: 120 claims
- Flooding: 113 claims
- Hurricane Jeanne: 51 claims
- Hurricane Frances: 49 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 562
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 296
- Not reported: 4
How much is flood insurance in Melbourne?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Melbourne costs $783 a year: the median of 2,448 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $644 and $1,054. 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 2, 2026.
Why home insurance costs what it does in Melbourne
This section is educational and is not insurance advice.
Flood insurance
ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. These are the ZIP codes on at least 5% of the flood claims counted for Melbourne, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 32934: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $740 a year, the middle of 1,348 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $670 and $831. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 32934: NFIP records list 373 flood claims with a loss year from 1983 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
- ZIP code 32935: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $701 a year, the middle of 847 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $569 and $912. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 32935: NFIP records list 278 flood claims with a loss year from 1979 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
- ZIP code 32901: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $870 a year, the middle of 428 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $748 and $1,062. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 32901: NFIP records list 222 flood claims with a loss year from 1982 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
- ZIP code 32903: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,200 a year, the middle of 1,624 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $1,080 and $1,331. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 32903: NFIP records list 299 flood claims with a loss year from 1979 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
Fire and wind
- USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Palm Bay, FL a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.963, which its methods call Very High (above the 90th percentile). That is the city rating, not a rating of Melbourne alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
The insurance market in Florida
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: 09.30.26 254,836 Policies in Force
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 Melbourne?
ZIP code 32934: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $740 a year, the middle of 1,348 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $670 and $831. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 32934: NFIP records list 373 flood claims with a loss year from 1983 through 2024. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026. ZIP code 32935: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $701 a year, the middle of 847 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $569 and $912. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 32935: NFIP records list 278 flood claims with a loss year from 1979 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026. ZIP code 32901: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $870 a year, the middle of 428 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $748 and $1,062. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 32901: NFIP records list 222 flood claims with a loss year from 1982 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026. ZIP code 32903: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $1,200 a year, the middle of 1,624 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $1,080 and $1,331. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 32903: NFIP records list 299 flood claims with a loss year from 1979 through 2026. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
How big is the last-resort insurance plan in Florida?
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: 09.30.26 254,836 Policies in Force
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in Melbourne?
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; Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Policies in Force.
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Before you rent or buy in Melbourne
- 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 Melbourne
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Melbourne with other Palm Bay neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Palm Bay on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Melbourne flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Melbourne have filed flood claims. About 21% of Melbourne’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 862 claims from the Census block groups that cover Melbourne, from 1979 through 2026. 608 of them received a payment, totaling $12,874,420 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2008 (328 claims), 2017 (135 claims), 1995 (114 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Melbourne in a flood zone?
About 21% of Melbourne’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) 64%; AE 16%; Open water 8.0%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 6.7%; A 3.5%; VE 1.5%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect March 17, 2014, January 29, 2021.
Which streets in Melbourne 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 N Wickham Rd, N Harbor City Blvd, State Hwy 507, S Babcock St, Sarno Rd, Croton Rd, S Harbor City Blvd and Lake Washington Rd does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Melbourne in?
Melbourne is in Palm Bay, FL. ZIP codes 32934, 32935, 32901 and 32903: 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 Melbourne?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Melbourne cost $783 a year: the median of 2,448 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half cost between $644 and $1,054. 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
- June Park
- Does Palm Bay flood?
- Does West Melbourne flood?
- Does Indialantic flood?
- Does Melbourne Beach flood?
- Malabar
How these numbers were made
Neighborhood boundary: U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and Census Designated Places (TIGERweb). 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 November 2, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Brevard County (county code 12009), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved November 2, 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: 120090643021 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641261 (62.7% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090644002 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090645002 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090648002 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641233 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090642012 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641253 (86.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641252 (54.6% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641242 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641241 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641231 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090713011 (33.2% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090647003 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090644001 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090644003 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090643011 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090651253 (98.3% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641232 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641262 (85.9% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090663012 (82.5% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090648001 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649011 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649012 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649023 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649022 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090651242 (99.1% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090642021 (43.1% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090643013 (63.7% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090643012 (69.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090645001 (88.3% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649014 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090646021 (39.3% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649013 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090647002 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090647005 (52.8% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641243 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090647004 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090642022 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090643023 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090642011 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641271 (77.5% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090646022 (88.6% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090642023 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090643022 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090649021 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090651241 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090651252 (84.1% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090663013 (57.5% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090641022 (53.8% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090647001 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne), 120090651251 (100.0% of the block group is inside Melbourne). 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 2, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on November 2, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, incorporated places and Census Designated Places (TIGERweb).
- 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.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3.
- OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
- USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, community summaries.
- Wildfire Risk to Communities methods.
- Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Policies in Force.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and November 2, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated November 2, 2026.