Does Mission Hills flood?
Mission Hills, San Diego, CA · ZIP codes 92108, 92110 and 92103: 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 Mission Hills have filed flood claims. About 20% of Mission Hills’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 36 claims from the Census block groups that cover Mission Hills, from 1978 through 2017. 19 of them received a payment, totaling $848,619 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1983 (9 claims), 2017 (6 claims), 1980 (5 claims).
What this page counts as Mission Hills
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Mission Hills, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Mission Hills 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 Mission Hills (feature 1661042), 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 Mission Hills. 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 Mission Hills
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 Mission Hills
The named streets in Mission Hills, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Mission Hills lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Mission Hills; 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. 74 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-8 | 4.8 mi | 0.9% | X (unshaded, minimal) (54%) |
| San Diego Fwy | 1.7 mi | 9.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (83%) |
| Hotel Cir S | 1.3 mi | 17% | X (unshaded, minimal) (43%) |
| Hotel Cir N | 1.3 mi | 62% | AE (62%) |
| Fort Stockton Dr | 1.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Friars Rd | 1.1 mi | 54% | AE (54%) |
| Presidio Dr | 4,900 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Taylor St | 4,820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (67%) |
| Juan St | 4,160 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| W Montecito Way | 3,900 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Linda Vista Rd | 3,860 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (93%) |
| San Diego Ave | 3,820 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Congress St | 3,490 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Cabrillo Fwy | 3,440 ft | 22% | X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) (41%) |
| W Lewis St | 3,130 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Riley St | 3,050 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (85%) |
| Gaines St | 3,020 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (74%) |
| Ampudia St | 2,990 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pacific Hwy | 2,990 ft | 26% | X (unshaded, minimal) (74%) |
| Randolph St | 2,970 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Lauretta St | 2,830 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Arista St | 2,780 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Sunset Blvd | 2,740 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Hortensia St | 2,700 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Pine St | 2,690 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 October 25, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Mission Hills
Share of Mission Hills’s mapped area (about 6.195 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 (06073C1614J, 06073C1618H, 06073C1877H, 06073C1881H): December 20, 2019, March 3, 2026.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 70% |
| AE | 20% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 9.2% |
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 Mission Hills. 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 | 4 | $6,558 |
| 1980s | 14 | $70,175 |
| 1990s | 2 | $19,257 |
| 2000s | 4 | $203,000 |
| 2010s | 12 | $549,628 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 11 claims
- Pineapple Express - Southern: 2 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- Not reported: 18
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 16
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 2
How much is flood insurance in Mission Hills?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Mission Hills costs $718 a year: the median of 10 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $474 and $984. 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 25, 2026.
Insurance agency or real estate agent? Sponsor this page.
Extreme heat in Mission Hills
FEMA’s National Risk Index rates heat wave risk for the census tracts that cover Mission Hills as: “Very Low” for 76%; “Relatively Low” for 24% of the area. Their heat wave risk scores range from 12 to 38 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 12% of Mission Hills’s area on average, compared with 7.1% for San Diego as a whole (the 45 San Diego 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 Mission Hills
California’s 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps place about 13% of Mission Hills’s mapped area in a Very High fire hazard severity zone, 4.7% in High and 5.5% in Moderate; 77% 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 Mission Hills
- 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 Mission Hills
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Mission Hills with other San Diego neighborhoods on more than flooding, see San Diego on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Mission Hills flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Mission Hills have filed flood claims. About 20% of Mission Hills’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 36 claims from the Census block groups that cover Mission Hills, from 1978 through 2017. 19 of them received a payment, totaling $848,619 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1983 (9 claims), 2017 (6 claims), 1980 (5 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Mission Hills in a flood zone?
About 20% of Mission Hills’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) 70%; AE 20%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 9.2%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect December 20, 2019, March 3, 2026.
Which streets in Mission Hills are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Hotel Cir N and Friars Rd lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of I-8, San Diego Fwy, Fort Stockton Dr, Presidio Dr, Taylor St, Juan St, W Montecito Way and Linda Vista Rd does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Mission Hills in?
Mission Hills is in San Diego, CA. ZIP codes 92108, 92110 and 92103: 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.
Is Mission Hills in a fire hazard zone?
About 23% of Mission Hills’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 Mission Hills?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Mission Hills cost $718 a year: the median of 10 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $474 and $984. 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
- Hillcrest
- Morena
- Five Points
- Linda Vista
- Bay Park
- Clairemont
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 October 25, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for San Diego County (county code 06073), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 060730065002, 060730089021, 060730001001, 060730001002, 060730002011, 060730091071. 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: 06073008902 (37%), 06073000100 (25%), 06073006500 (17%), 06073000201 (14%), 06073009107 (7.3%). See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on October 25, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 25, 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 October 30, 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 October 30, 2026).
- FEMA National Risk Index, Census Tracts feature layer, Version 1.20.0 (December 2025) (retrieved October 30, 2026).
- 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 25, 2026 (flood zones); hazard data computed October 30, 2026. Page last updated October 30, 2026.