Does Palm Beach Lakes flood?
Palm Beach Lakes, West Palm Beach, FL · ZIP code 33401: the ZIP code on 26 of the 27 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Palm Beach Lakes have filed flood claims. About 46% of Palm Beach Lakes’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 27 claims from the Census block groups that cover Palm Beach Lakes, from 1982 through 2023. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $213,803 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2004 (9 claims), 1999 (5 claims), 1982 (5 claims).
What this page counts as Palm Beach Lakes
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Palm Beach Lakes, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Palm Beach Lakes 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 Palm Beach Lakes (feature 294365) and inside the West Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach Lakes. 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 Palm Beach Lakes
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone and the hurricane evacuation zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in Palm Beach Lakes
The named streets in Palm Beach Lakes, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Palm Beach Lakes lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Palm Beach Lakes; 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. 32 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embassy Dr | 1.8 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Palm Beach Lakes Blvd | 1.7 mi | 1.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (99%) |
| N Australian Ave | 1.6 mi | 1.3% | X (unshaded, minimal) (99%) |
| 13th St | 1.1 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 7th St | 1.1 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Congress Ave | 4,870 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (94%) |
| Windsor Ave | 4,680 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N Mangonia Dr | 4,470 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Golf Ave | 4,390 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Division Ave | 4,280 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 8th St | 4,040 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| State Hwy 9 | 3,860 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 6th St | 3,760 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N Tamarind Ave | 3,680 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Executive Center Dr | 3,390 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 15th St | 3,150 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 9th St | 3,080 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 25th St | 3,070 ft | 12% | X (unshaded, minimal) (87%) |
| S Mangonia Cir | 2,950 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| 11th St | 2,750 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| N Mangonia Cir | 2,720 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Hank Aaron Dr | 2,520 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Okeechobee Blvd | 2,310 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Clear Lake Ave | 2,250 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Malcolm Chandler Ln | 2,180 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 29, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Palm Beach Lakes
Share of Palm Beach Lakes’s mapped area (about 8.288 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 12.7 to 13.4 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (12099C0577F, 12099C0579F, 12099C0581G, 12099C0583G): October 5, 2017, December 20, 2024.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 54% |
| A | 45% |
| AE | 0.3% |
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 Palm Beach Lakes. 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 | 6 | $2,415 |
| 1990s | 7 | $14,869 |
| 2000s | 11 | $196,519 |
| 2010s | 2 | $0 |
| 2020s | 1 | $0 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Frances: 5 claims
- Hurricane Irene: 5 claims
- Hurricane Jeanne: 3 claims
- Flooding: 3 claims
- Hurricane Georges (Panhandle): 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): 26
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 1
How much is flood insurance in Palm Beach Lakes?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Palm Beach Lakes costs $542 a year: the median of 91 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $507 and $582. 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 29, 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in Palm Beach Lakes
- 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 Palm Beach Lakes
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Palm Beach Lakes with other West Palm Beach neighborhoods on more than flooding, see West Palm Beach on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Palm Beach Lakes flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Palm Beach Lakes have filed flood claims. About 46% of Palm Beach Lakes’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 27 claims from the Census block groups that cover Palm Beach Lakes, from 1982 through 2023. 16 of them received a payment, totaling $213,803 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2004 (9 claims), 1999 (5 claims), 1982 (5 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Palm Beach Lakes in a flood zone?
About 46% of Palm Beach Lakes’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) 54%; A 45%; AE 0.3%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect October 5, 2017, December 20, 2024.
Which streets in Palm Beach Lakes 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 Embassy Dr, Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, N Australian Ave, 13th St, 7th St, Congress Ave, Windsor Ave and N Mangonia Dr does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Palm Beach Lakes in?
Palm Beach Lakes is in West Palm Beach, FL. ZIP code 33401: the ZIP code on 26 of the 27 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 Palm Beach Lakes?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Palm Beach Lakes cost $542 a year: the median of 91 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $507 and $582. 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
- Northwest
- Old Northwood
- Grandview Heights
- Does Prospect Park flood?
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 29, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Palm Beach County (county code 12099), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 29, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 120990021001, 120990022001, 120990018022, 120990020062, 120990020063, 120990021002. 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 29, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 29, 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.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 29, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 29, 2026.