FloodMaps
Map of FEMA flood zones in ClearwaterTap the map to explore

City · Flood risk

Check any address in Clearwater

Inside Clearwater city limits 

Homes in Clearwater

43,500

On the state tax roll

Flood claims since 2016

982

In 8 storms, 800 paid

Most claims in one storm

799

Hurricane Helene 2024, 686 paid

FEMA flood map in effect

Aug 2021

First flood map 1971

Flood insurance discount

25% off

City of Clearwater, Community Rating System Class 5

Elevation certificates

1,597

Surveyed floor heights on file

Clearwater and Pinellas County

Clearwater has 11% of Pinellas County's homes and 3% of its flood claims since 2016.

Clearwater compared with all of Pinellas County
ClearwaterAll of Pinellas
Homes43,500387,829
Flood claims since 201698229,543
FEMA aid, water insideNo city figure34,291

Past storms in Clearwater

National Flood Insurance Program claims, filed in the city and across the county.

Flood claims by storm in Clearwater and in all of Pinellas County
StormClearwaterAll of Pinellas
Hurricane Hermine 201611180
Hurricane Irma 201718224
Tropical Storm Eta 202031,063
Hurricane Ian 2022038
Hurricane Nicole 2022212
Hurricane Idalia 2023491,972
Hurricane Debby 20245122
Hurricane Helene 202479923,367
Hurricane Milton 2024952,560

Frequently asked questions

Do I need flood insurance in Clearwater?

Lenders require flood insurance on a federally backed mortgage when the building is in one of FEMA's high-risk zones, the ones starting with A or V. The map that sets those zones in Clearwater took effect on August 24, 2021. Outside those zones insurance is optional, but claims come from moderate- and low-risk zones too, so it's worth checking the zone and the floor height of the exact home.

When was the FEMA flood map for Clearwater last updated?

The flood map in effect for Clearwater took effect on August 24, 2021. The city's first flood map dates to June 9, 1971. FEMA has released preliminary maps for parts of Pinellas County; they don't change insurance requirements until they're adopted and take effect.

Is there a flood insurance discount in Clearwater?

The City of Clearwater is in FEMA's Community Rating System at Class 5, which takes 25% off National Flood Insurance Program premiums for policies inside the high-risk flood zone. Classes run from 10 to 1, and each step down adds 5% off.

Which storms flooded Clearwater the most?

By National Flood Insurance Program claims filed in Clearwater, the worst recent storms were Hurricane Helene 2024 (799 claims, 686 paid), Hurricane Milton 2024 (95 claims, 59 paid), and Hurricane Idalia 2023 (49 claims, 46 paid). Across Pinellas County, 25,429 FEMA aid registrations reported water inside the home after Hurricane Helene 2024. Claims only count insured homes, so the real number of flooded homes is higher.

Are there sinkholes in Clearwater?

The Florida Geological Survey has 9 subsidence reports on file inside Clearwater's city limits. Most reports were never verified, and a report near a home doesn't mean the ground under it is unstable. The full report lists the nearest ones.

Clearwater includes Clearwater Beach on a barrier island, across Clearwater Harbor from downtown.

Clearwater has about 43,500 homes on the state tax roll inside its city limits. The FEMA flood map in effect for Clearwater took effect on August 24, 2021; the city's first flood map dates to 1971. Since 2016, 982 flood insurance claims have been filed in Clearwater in the storms we track, 800 of them paid. The storm that left the most was Hurricane Helene 2024, with 799, followed by Hurricane Milton 2024 with 95. The City of Clearwater is in FEMA's Community Rating System at Class 5, which takes 25% off National Flood Insurance Program premiums for policies inside the high-risk flood zone.

On the Gulf coast, the worst floods come from hurricane storm surge pushed into bays, canals, and river mouths, and from heavy rain that can't drain while the tide is high. The storms we track for the Tampa Bay area are Hurricane Hermine 2016, Hurricane Irma 2017, Tropical Storm Eta 2020, Hurricane Ian 2022, Hurricane Idalia 2023, Hurricane Debby 2024, Hurricane Helene 2024, and Hurricane Milton 2024.

Search any address in Clearwater for a free report: its FEMA flood zone and whether insurance is required, its risk level, and its floor height against the flood line. The full report adds a 0 to 100 risk score, the flood insurance cost, the home's record in each storm we track, and a PDF to share.

Compiled by FloodMaps from FEMA, state, and county records. Data dates: 2026 county tax roll (preliminary values); flood claims for storms from 2016 through Hurricane Milton (October 2024); FEMA map dates and insurance discounts as of October 8, 2026.

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