FloodMaps
Map of FEMA flood zones in West Palm BeachTap the map to explore

City · Flood risk

Check any address in West Palm Beach

Inside West Palm Beach city limits 

Homes in West Palm Beach

40,297

On the state tax roll

Flood claims since 2016

20

In 3 storms, 3 paid

Most claims in one storm

18

Hurricane Irma 2017, 3 paid

FEMA flood map in effect

Dec 2024

First flood map 1979

Flood insurance discount

25% off

City of West Palm Beach, Community Rating System Class 5

Sinkhole reports

1

On file with the Florida Geological Survey

West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County

West Palm Beach has 7% of Palm Beach County's homes and 4% of its flood claims since 2016.

West Palm Beach compared with all of Palm Beach County
West Palm BeachAll of Palm Beach
Homes40,297591,147
Flood claims since 201620532
FEMA aid, water insideNo city figure1,885

Past storms in West Palm Beach

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

Flood claims by storm in West Palm Beach and in all of Palm Beach County
StormWest Palm BeachAll of Palm Beach
Hurricane Matthew 2016011
Hurricane Irma 201718423
Tropical Storm Eta 2020136
Hurricane Ian 2022016
Hurricane Nicole 2022013
Hurricane Milton 2024013

Frequently asked questions

Do I need flood insurance in West Palm Beach?

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 West Palm Beach took effect on December 20, 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 West Palm Beach last updated?

The flood map in effect for West Palm Beach took effect on December 20, 2024. The city's first flood map dates to March 1, 1979.

Is there a flood insurance discount in West Palm Beach?

The City of West Palm Beach 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 West Palm Beach the most?

By National Flood Insurance Program claims filed in West Palm Beach, the worst recent storms were Hurricane Irma 2017 (18 claims, 3 paid), Hurricane Michael 2018 (1 claim, 0 paid), and Tropical Storm Eta 2020 (1 claim, 0 paid). Across Palm Beach County, 1,804 FEMA aid registrations reported water inside the home after Hurricane Irma 2017. Claims only count insured homes, so the real number of flooded homes is higher.

What causes flooding in West Palm Beach?

On the Atlantic coast, flooding comes from hurricane surge, seasonal king tides that back up through storm drains, and heavy rain on flat ground with a high water table. The storms we track for Southeast Florida are Hurricane Matthew 2016, Hurricane Irma 2017, Tropical Storm Eta 2020, Hurricane Nicole 2022, Fort Lauderdale flood 2023, South Florida flood June 2024, Hurricane Helene 2024, and Hurricane Milton 2024.

West Palm Beach faces the Lake Worth Lagoon across from the town of Palm Beach and is the county seat of Palm Beach County.

West Palm Beach has about 40,300 homes on the state tax roll inside its city limits. The FEMA flood map in effect for West Palm Beach took effect on December 20, 2024; the city's first flood map dates to 1979. Since 2016, 20 flood insurance claims have been filed in West Palm Beach in the storms we track, 3 of them paid. The storm that left the most was Hurricane Irma 2017, with 18, followed by Hurricane Michael 2018 with 1. The City of West Palm Beach 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 Atlantic coast, flooding comes from hurricane surge, seasonal king tides that back up through storm drains, and heavy rain on flat ground with a high water table. The storms we track for Southeast Florida are Hurricane Matthew 2016, Hurricane Irma 2017, Tropical Storm Eta 2020, Hurricane Nicole 2022, Fort Lauderdale flood 2023, South Florida flood June 2024, Hurricane Helene 2024, and Hurricane Milton 2024.

Search any address in West Palm Beach 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.

Nearby flood maps

Florida Flood News & Updates