Does El Cerrito flood?
El Cerrito, Richmond, CA · ZIP code 94804: the ZIP code on 22 of the 23 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around El Cerrito have filed flood claims. About 9.2% of El Cerrito’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 23 claims from the Census block groups that cover El Cerrito, from 1981 through 2014. 19 of them received a payment, totaling $136,598 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1982 (5 claims), 1997 (5 claims), 1995 (4 claims).
What this page counts as El Cerrito
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for El Cerrito, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, El Cerrito 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 El Cerrito (feature 277504) and inside the Richmond 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 El Cerrito. 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 El Cerrito
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 El Cerrito
The named streets in El Cerrito, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside El Cerrito lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside El Cerrito; 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. 25 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastshore Fwy | 2.9 mi | 3.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| San Pablo Ave | 1.3 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Carlson Blvd | 1.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (79%) |
| San Joaquin St | 4,880 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (69%) |
| Santa Clara St | 4,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| San Luis St | 3,220 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| San Mateo St | 3,210 ft | 6.8% | X (unshaded, minimal) (93%) |
| Panama Ave | 2,880 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Huntington Ave | 2,880 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Sacramento Ave | 2,820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Fresno Ave | 2,790 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| S 56th St | 2,780 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (83%) |
| Tehama Ave | 2,770 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (77%) |
| Burlingame Ave | 2,750 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (79%) |
| Columbia Ave | 2,740 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Van Fleet Ave | 2,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Monterey St | 2,450 ft | 3.0% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (77%) |
| Santa Cruz Ave | 2,230 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Sutter Ave | 2,230 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Bayview Ave | 2,110 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (75%) |
| San Jose Ave | 1,830 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| S 57th St | 1,630 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Central Ave | 1,490 ft | 56% | A (56%) |
| Mendocino St | 1,420 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| San Benito St | 1,420 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 El Cerrito
Share of El Cerrito’s mapped area (about 1.902 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 (06013C0237G, 06013C0239G, 06013C0241G, 06013C0243G): September 30, 2015.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 77% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 14% |
| A | 9.2% |
| AE | 0.0% |
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 El Cerrito. 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 | 7 | $36,206 |
| 1990s | 12 | $93,683 |
| 2000s | 2 | $2,498 |
| 2010s | 2 | $4,211 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 14 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): 16
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 6
- Not reported: 1
Why home insurance costs what it does in El Cerrito
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 El Cerrito, within 10 km of it.
- ZIP code 94804: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $748 a year, the middle of 15 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $719 and $977. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0.
- ZIP code 94804: NFIP records list 31 flood claims with a loss year from 1981 through 2017. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
Fire and wind
- Official state fire hazard maps: Very High 0%, High 0%, Moderate 0%, outside any mapped zone 100% of El Cerrito. The publisher of these maps does not endorse this site.
- USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Richmond, CA a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.852, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of El Cerrito 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 El Cerrito?
ZIP code 94804: the median National Flood Insurance Program policy cost for single-family homes was $748 a year, the middle of 15 policies that started between September 1, 2025 and August 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $719 and $977. These policies are priced under Risk Rating 2.0. ZIP code 94804: NFIP records list 31 flood claims with a loss year from 1981 through 2017. The claims dataset is as of September 8, 2026.
What do public fire and wind records show for El Cerrito?
Official state fire hazard maps: Very High 0%, High 0%, Moderate 0%, outside any mapped zone 100% of El Cerrito. The publisher of these maps does not endorse this site. USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities gives Richmond, CA a Risk to Homes national percentile rank of 0.852, which its methods call High (above the 70th percentile and below the 90th). That is the city rating, not a rating of El Cerrito alone. The summary file is dated April 15, 2026.
What should I ask an insurance agent about a home in El Cerrito?
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.
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Extreme heat in El Cerrito
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates heat wave risk for the census tracts that cover El Cerrito as: “Relatively Low” for 70%; “Relatively Moderate” for 30% of the area. Their heat wave risk scores range from 41 to 78 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 6.1% of El Cerrito’s area on average, compared with 6.1% for Richmond as a whole (the 1 Richmond 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 El Cerrito
California’s 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps do not place any of El Cerrito in a moderate, high or very high zone (CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones). Wildfire smoke and wind-blown embers can still reach areas outside the zones.
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 El Cerrito
- 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 El Cerrito
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare El Cerrito with other Richmond neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Richmond on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does El Cerrito flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around El Cerrito have filed flood claims. About 9.2% of El Cerrito’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 23 claims from the Census block groups that cover El Cerrito, from 1981 through 2014. 19 of them received a payment, totaling $136,598 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1982 (5 claims), 1997 (5 claims), 1995 (4 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is El Cerrito in a flood zone?
About 9.2% of El Cerrito’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) 77%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 14%; A 9.2%; AE 0.0%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect September 30, 2015.
Which streets in El Cerrito are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Central Ave lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of Eastshore Fwy, San Pablo Ave, Carlson Blvd, San Joaquin St, Santa Clara St, San Luis St, San Mateo St and Panama Ave does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is El Cerrito in?
El Cerrito is in Richmond, CA. ZIP code 94804: the ZIP code on 22 of the 23 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.
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 Contra Costa County (county code 06013), 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: 060133830002, 060133820004, 060133830003, 060133830001. 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: 06013383000 (70%), 06013382000 (30%). 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).
- 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.