St. Louis, Missouri Flood Zones
St. Louis sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and faces major riverine flood risk. The city's floodwall protects downtown, but surrounding communities in the floodplain remain highly vulnerable.
FEMA Flood Risk Profile: St. Louis 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: $90.9M
Hurricane Risk
Very LowEst. annual loss: $13K
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county-level assessment. Individual property risk may vary.
Federal Flood Disaster History: St. Louis County
St. Louis County has been included in 6 federal flood-related disaster declarations.
...and 1 earlier declaration since 1993.
These declarations affected communities across St. Louis County, including St. Louis.
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries API. Data sourced February 2026.
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims: St. Louis County
Properties in St. Louis County have filed 739 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $10.1M in payouts since 1978. The average claim payout is $14K.
Highest-Claim Years
1993
280 claims - $4.1M
1979
116 claims - $449K
1982
57 claims - $262K
Claims by Flood Zone
Zone A
309
Zone X
220
Zone AE
116
Zone V
1
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Claims API. Data sourced February 2026.
Common Flood Zones in St. Louis
Properties in St. Louis, MO are commonly designated in these FEMA flood zones:
What Your Flood Zone Means in St. Louis
St. Louis faces flood risk primarily from river and stream overflow during heavy rainfall, snowmelt, or upstream dam releases. When rivers exceed their banks, floodwaters spread across low-lying areas mapped in AE and A zones. The most common FEMA flood zone designations in St. Louis are Zone AE, Zone X. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates the county's annual expected loss from inland flooding at over $90.9M.
Riverine flood risk in St. Louis is driven by the proximity and elevation of properties relative to nearby waterways. Properties closer to rivers with lower ground elevations typically face higher flood insurance premiums under FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0. 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.
River flood maps can change when FEMA conducts new Flood Insurance Studies or when development alters drainage patterns. Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) can remove individual properties if the natural ground elevation was always above the Base Flood Elevation and the property was inadvertently mapped in the SFHA. Use our free lookup tool to check the current flood zone for any St. Louis address.
Check Your St. Louis Address
Enter any St. Louis, MO address to instantly see its FEMA flood zone, risk level, and whether flood insurance is required.
Free Flood Zone LookupSt. Louis, MO Flood Zone FAQ
What flood zones are in St. Louis, MO?
The most common FEMA flood zones in St. Louis 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 St. Louis?
If your St. Louis 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 St. Louis?
Enter your St. Louis 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 St. Louis?
According to FEMA's National Risk Index, St. Louis County (where St. Louis is located) has a "Relatively High" rating for inland flood risk. The estimated annual flood loss for the county is $90.9M. This county-level assessment considers historical flood losses, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
Has St. Louis experienced major flooding events?
St. Louis County, where St. Louis is located, has been part of 6 federal disaster declarations for flooding, hurricanes, or severe storms. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in 2022. Federal disaster declarations are issued when flooding overwhelms local resources and triggers FEMA assistance programs.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in St. Louis?
St. Louis County has recorded 739 NFIP flood insurance claims totaling $10.1M in payouts since 1978. The year with the most claims was 1993, with 280 claims and $4.1M in payouts. These figures cover all NFIP claims in the county, including St. Louis.
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