What are the FEMA flood zones in New York City?

NYC has extensive FEMA Zone AE and VE areas mapped after Hurricane Sandy (2012, $65B damage). High-risk areas include Lower Manhattan (Financial District, Battery Park), Red Hook, Coney Island, Rockaways, parts of Staten Island, and coastal Queens. FEMA updated its flood maps post-Sandy — many properties were reclassified into flood zones, requiring mandatory flood insurance.

Does New York City have earthquake risk?

NYC has low-moderate seismic risk. The city sits near the Ramapo Fault system and has experienced historical earthquakes. The USGS assigns New York City a low seismic hazard designation, but older unreinforced masonry buildings (common in Brooklyn and the Bronx) are vulnerable. A 1737 earthquake near NYC was estimated at M5.2.

What happened to property values in NYC flood zones after Sandy?

Hurricane Sandy (2012) flooded 17% of NYC's total land area. Many Zone AE properties saw mandatory flood insurance costs surge from $400-600/year to $2,000-8,000/year under FEMA Risk Rating 2.0. Some areas like Red Hook, the Rockaways, and parts of Staten Island saw post-Sandy sales prices decline 10-25% before recovering. Climate risk is now a significant pricing factor in NYC real estate.

Which NYC boroughs have the lowest flood risk?

Uptown Manhattan (above 155th Street), most of the Bronx, and inland Brooklyn neighborhoods (Crown Heights, Flatbush, Bushwick) have Zone X designation — minimal flood risk. The highest risk areas are coastal: Coney Island, Red Hook, Howard Beach, the Rockaways, and Lower Manhattan below Wall Street.

NEW YORK CITY · USA · FEMA FLOOD & RISK INTELLIGENCE

Property Risk in New York City
Post-Sandy Reality

Hurricane Sandy (2012) flooded 17% of NYC's land. Lower Manhattan, Red Hook, Coney Island and the Rockaways are in FEMA Zone AE. Mandatory flood insurance, post-Sandy FEMA remapping, and climate risk are now core NYC real estate factors.

🌊 ZONE AE COASTAL · SANDY-MAPPED · MODERATE SEISMIC

Zone AE

FEMA — coastal flood zone

17%

NYC land area flooded by Sandy

$65B

Sandy damage estimate

New York City Flood Zone Profile

HIGH RISK — Special Flood Hazard Area

FEMA NFIP · Post-Sandy Remapped · 2013+

LIVE API

Primary flood zoneZone AE — 1% annual flood probability (100-yr)

Flood insuranceMandatory in SFHA with federally backed mortgage

Seismic riskLow-moderate — Ramapo Fault system nearby

Hurricane exposureCategory 1–3 direct hits possible · storm surge main risk

Post-Sandy changeFEMA remapped ~35,000 additional NYC properties into flood zones

Building codeNYC Building Code + FloodSmart standards

NYC Boroughs — Flood Risk by Area

Lower Manhattan

Zone AE

Battery Park, Financial District, FiDi flooded in Sandy. Seawalls being upgraded.

Red Hook, Brooklyn

Zone AE

Severely flooded in Sandy. Ongoing resiliency projects. Strong gentrification but persistent flood risk.

Coney Island

Zone AE/VE

Coastal zone. Highest risk in Brooklyn. Storm surge exposure. Sandy-flooded.

The Rockaways, Queens

Zone AE/VE

Peninsula. Sandy caused catastrophic damage. Rebuilt but ongoing coastal risk.

Midtown / UWS / UES

Zone X

Higher elevation. Minimal flood risk. Manhattan's prime residential corridor.

Crown Heights / Flatbush

Zone X

Inland Brooklyn. Higher elevation. No flood zone designation.

Staten Island (coastal)

Zone AE/VE

Sandy's most devastating impact. Oakwood Beach, Midland Beach — some areas bought out by state.

Bronx (most areas)

Zone X

Mostly inland. Some coastal areas near Long Island Sound carry AE designation.

FEMA FLOOD + USGS + AI ANALYSIS

Check any address in New York City

Live FEMA flood zone · Sandy risk map · USGS seismic · Master Grade A–F · PDF report
3 free checks/week · No signup required

Analyze NYC Property → See Sample Report

FAQ — Property Risk in New York City

NYC has extensive FEMA Zone AE and VE areas. After Hurricane Sandy (2012, $65B damage), FEMA remapped ~35,000 additional NYC properties into flood zones. High-risk areas: Lower Manhattan, Red Hook, Coney Island, the Rockaways, and coastal Staten Island. Mandatory flood insurance applies in SFHA with federally backed mortgages.

NYC has low-moderate seismic risk near the Ramapo Fault system. A 1737 earthquake near NYC was estimated at M5.2. USGS assigns a low seismic hazard designation. Older unreinforced masonry buildings common in Brooklyn and the Bronx are more vulnerable. Not a primary risk factor vs flood and hurricane.

Sandy flooded 17% of NYC's land. Many Zone AE properties saw flood insurance costs surge from $400-600/yr to $2,000-8,000/yr under FEMA Risk Rating 2.0. Areas like Red Hook, the Rockaways, and parts of Staten Island saw sales prices decline 10-25% before recovering. Some state-purchased buyout areas in Staten Island were demolished.

Uptown Manhattan above 155th St, most of the Bronx, and inland Brooklyn (Crown Heights, Flatbush, Bushwick) carry Zone X — minimal flood risk. Highest risk: coastal Staten Island, the Rockaways, Red Hook, Coney Island, and Lower Manhattan below Wall Street.

Other US & International Cities

Miami Los Angeles San Francisco Istanbul Tbilisi + Any US address →

Property Risk in New York CityPost-Sandy Reality

New York City Flood Zone Profile

NYC Boroughs — Flood Risk by Area

FAQ — Property Risk in New York City

Other US & International Cities

Ready to Check a Property Here?

Property Risk in New York City
Post-Sandy Reality