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

City · Flood risk

Check any address in Sarasota

Inside Sarasota city limits 

Homes in Sarasota

24,008

On the state tax roll

Flood claims since 2016

756

In 11 storms, 539 paid

Most claims in one storm

424

Hurricane Helene 2024, 345 paid

FEMA flood map in effect

Mar 2024

First flood map 1971

Flood insurance discount

25% off

City of Sarasota, Community Rating System Class 5

Sinkhole reports

None

On file with the Florida Geological Survey

Sarasota and Sarasota County

Sarasota has 10% of Sarasota County's homes and 8% of its flood claims since 2016.

Sarasota compared with all of Sarasota County
SarasotaAll of Sarasota
Homes24,008239,710
Flood claims since 20167569,398
FEMA aid, water insideNo city figure8,763

Past storms in Sarasota

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

Flood claims by storm in Sarasota and in all of Sarasota County
StormSarasotaAll of Sarasota
Hurricane Hermine 2016420
Hurricane Irma 201723126
Tropical Storm Eta 20201684
Hurricane Ian 2022161,292
Hurricane Idalia 202325121
South Florida flood June 20241960
Hurricane Debby 202437609
Hurricane Helene 20244244,933
Hurricane Milton 20241892,141

Frequently asked questions

Do I need flood insurance in Sarasota?

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 Sarasota took effect on March 27, 2024. 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 Sarasota last updated?

The flood map in effect for Sarasota took effect on March 27, 2024. The city's first flood map dates to July 31, 1971.

Is there a flood insurance discount in Sarasota?

The City of Sarasota 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 Sarasota the most?

By National Flood Insurance Program claims filed in Sarasota, the worst recent storms were Hurricane Helene 2024 (424 claims, 345 paid), Hurricane Milton 2024 (189 claims, 106 paid), and Hurricane Debby 2024 (37 claims, 33 paid). Across Sarasota County, 2,631 FEMA aid registrations reported water inside the home after Hurricane Ian 2022. Claims only count insured homes, so the real number of flooded homes is higher.

What causes flooding in Sarasota?

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.

Sarasota faces Sarasota Bay, with Lido Key and St. Armands Key between the bay and the Gulf.

Sarasota has about 24,000 homes on the state tax roll inside its city limits. The FEMA flood map in effect for Sarasota took effect on March 27, 2024; the city's first flood map dates to 1971. Since 2016, 756 flood insurance claims have been filed in Sarasota in the storms we track, 539 of them paid. The storm that left the most was Hurricane Helene 2024, with 424, followed by Hurricane Milton 2024 with 189. The City of Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 (final 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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