City · Flood risk
Check any address in Pensacola
Inside Pensacola city limits
Homes in Pensacola
22,393
On the state tax roll
Flood claims since 2016
200
In 2 storms, 136 paid
Most claims in one storm
195
Hurricane Sally 2020, 136 paid
FEMA flood map in effect
Aug 2025
First flood map 1977
Flood insurance discount
15% off
City of Pensacola, Community Rating System Class 7
Sinkhole reports
None
On file with the Florida Geological Survey
Pensacola and Escambia County
Pensacola has 18% of Escambia County's homes and 8% of its flood claims since 2016.
| Pensacola | All of Escambia | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes | 22,393 | 125,658 |
| Flood claims since 2016 | 200 | 2,464 |
| FEMA aid, water inside | No city figure | 3,272 |
Past storms in Pensacola
National Flood Insurance Program claims, filed in the city and across the county.
| Storm | Pensacola | All of Escambia |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Sally 2020 | 195 | 2,450 |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need flood insurance in Pensacola?
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 Pensacola took effect on August 19, 2025. 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 Pensacola last updated?
The flood map in effect for Pensacola took effect on August 19, 2025. The city's first flood map dates to September 15, 1977.
Is there a flood insurance discount in Pensacola?
The City of Pensacola is in FEMA's Community Rating System at Class 7, which takes 15% 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 Pensacola the most?
By National Flood Insurance Program claims filed in Pensacola, the worst recent storms were Hurricane Sally 2020 (195 claims, 136 paid) and Hurricane Helene 2024 (5 claims, 0 paid). Across Escambia County, 3,272 FEMA aid registrations reported water inside the home after Hurricane Sally 2020. Claims only count insured homes, so the real number of flooded homes is higher.
What causes flooding in Pensacola?
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 Panhandle are Hurricane Hermine 2016, Hurricane Irma 2017, Hurricane Michael 2018, Hurricane Sally 2020, and Hurricane Helene 2024.
Pensacola sits on Pensacola Bay in the western Panhandle; Hurricane Sally's slow landfall in 2020 brought storm surge, and the National Weather Service measured more than 22 inches of rain in the city.
Pensacola has about 22,400 homes on the state tax roll inside its city limits. The FEMA flood map in effect for Pensacola took effect on August 19, 2025; the city's first flood map dates to 1977. Since 2016, 200 flood insurance claims have been filed in Pensacola in the storms we track, 136 of them paid. The storm that left the most was Hurricane Sally 2020, with 195, followed by Hurricane Helene 2024 with 5. The City of Pensacola is in FEMA's Community Rating System at Class 7, which takes 15% 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 Panhandle are Hurricane Hermine 2016, Hurricane Irma 2017, Hurricane Michael 2018, Hurricane Sally 2020, and Hurricane Helene 2024.
Search any address in Pensacola 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.
Nearby flood maps
Florida Flood News & Updates
- Citizens Flood Insurance Requirement: What You Need Before January 1, 2027
- After Hurricane Isaias: How to Check Flood Records for a Florida Panhandle Home
- Hurricane Isaias: Florida Panhandle Landfall Tracker
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