Minneapolis, Minnesota Flood Zones
Minneapolis faces flooding from the Mississippi River, Minnehaha Creek, and urban stormwater runoff. The city's extensive lake and creek system can overflow during heavy rainfall and spring snowmelt events.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: Hennepin County
Based on FEMA's National Risk Index, which evaluates flood risk at the county level using historical loss data, exposure, and vulnerability.
Inland Flood Risk
Relatively HighEst. annual loss: $188.4M
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: Hennepin County
Hennepin County has been included in 8 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
These declarations affected communities across Hennepin County, including Minneapolis.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: Hennepin County
Properties in Hennepin County have filed 682 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $4.6M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $7K.
Highest-Claim Years
1987
114 claims - $1.2M
2014
76 claims - $788K
1978
73 claims - $233K
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone X
333
Zone A
173
Zone AE
71
Zone AO
3
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in Minneapolis
Properties in Minneapolis, MN are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in Minneapolis
Minneapolis faces multiple inland flood threats, including riverine flooding from nearby waterways and flash flooding from intense rainfall overwhelming urban drainage systems. Properties near river corridors face the highest risk, but stormwater backup can affect neighborhoods well outside the mapped floodplain. The most common FEMA flood zone designations in Minneapolis are Zone AE, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $188.4M.
With both riverine and urban stormwater flood risk, insurance costs in Minneapolis depend heavily on a property's elevation relative to nearby waterways and the local drainage infrastructure. FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 prices in multiple inland flood sources rather than relying on the flood zone line alone. If your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage, federal law generally requires your lender to ensure you carry flood insurance.
Flood zone boundaries in Minneapolis can shift when FEMA updates its Flood Insurance Studies or when upstream development changes how water moves through the watershed. New stormwater infrastructure or dam modifications can also trigger map revisions. Use our free lookup tool to check the current flood zone for any Minneapolis address.
Check Your Minneapolis Address
Enter any Minneapolis, MN address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupMinneapolis, MN Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in Minneapolis, MN?
The most common FEMA flood zones in Minneapolis are Zone AE, Zone X. Properties in these high-risk zones (SFHA) may require flood insurance with a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage.
Is flood insurance required in Minneapolis?
If your Minneapolis property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and you have a federally regulated or government-backed mortgage, federal law generally requires your lender to ensure you carry flood insurance. Properties in Zone X are not federally required to carry flood insurance, though coverage is still recommended since about 25% of all NFIP flood claims come from Zone X properties.
How do I check my flood zone in Minneapolis?
Enter your Minneapolis address in the search tool above for an instant flood zone determination. Results include your FEMA flood zone, SFHA status, base flood elevation (if available), and FIRM panel information, pulled directly from FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer.
How high is flood risk in Minneapolis?
According to FEMA's National Risk Index, Hennepin County (where Minneapolis is located) has a "Relatively High" rating for inland flood risk. The estimated annual flood loss for the county is $188.4M. This county-level assessment considers historical flood losses, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
Has Minneapolis experienced major flooding events?
Hennepin County, where Minneapolis is located, has been part of 8 federal disaster declarations for flooding, hurricanes, or severe storms. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in 2016. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Minneapolis?
Hennepin County has recorded 682 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $4.6M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 1987, with 114 claims and $1.2M in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including Minneapolis.
Sources
This page summarizes information from FEMA and other official resources in plain language. For full technical details, see the links below.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard LayerDirect Source
The NFHL is the source of all flood zone data shown on this page.
- FEMA Map Service Center — Search by AddressDirect Source
Look up any address to view FIRM panels, FIS reports, and LOMCs.
- NFHL Data and Map StatusTopic Page
View NFHL coverage and data freshness by state and community.
- FEMA National Risk Index — Data ResourcesDirect Source
County-level risk scores for inland flooding, coastal flooding, and hurricane used in the Flood Risk Profile.
- OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API v2Direct Source
Federal disaster declarations filtered for flood-related incident types (Flood, Hurricane, Severe Storm, Coastal Storm).
- OpenFEMA FIMA NFIP Claims API v2Direct Source
Historical NFIP flood insurance claims since 1978, aggregated by county and state. Includes claim counts, payouts, and flood zone breakdowns.
Sources last verified: February 2026