Expected annual dollar losses are often hundreds of thousands of dollars
April 28, 2025
Key takeaways:
- Homes on theEast Coastare significantly more at risk offlooding.
- Louisiana, New Jerseyand Virginiaare among the worst states for flooding.
- Homebuyers should carefully consider the risk of floods before making a purchase, but even government risk estimates mayunderstate the danger.
Floods have become more frequent and are threatening homes across the U.S.
East Coast states are seven among the 10 worst states for flooding, according to a reportby personal-finance website LendingTree, which analysed data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The analysis examined the frequency of floods, percentage of residents exposed to floods and expected yearly monetary losses per 10,000 people.
Louisiana is the worst state for flooding, with an expected annual frequency of around 81 floods, nearly 39% of residents potentially exposed to floods and expected annual losses of $127,714 per 10,000 residents.
“While all coastal areas face challenges with rising sea levels, Louisianas sinking Mississippi River Delta compounds the problem, exposing more residents to flood risk,” LendingTree said.
Louisiana is followed by New Jersey, Virginia, Florida and New York as the other five worst states for flooding.
New Jersey had the highest expected annual losses per 10,000 residents from flooding, with $682,436, followed by Delaware ($223,849), Louisiana ($127,714), Oregon ($103,002) and Virginia ($81,508).
Typical home insurance doesn’t cover losses from flooding and flood insurance is only required in areas designated by FEMA.
Homebuyers should look up whether a home is in a flood-risk area on FEMA’s website, Rob Bhatt, LengingTree home insurance expert and licensed insurance agent, toldConsumerAffairs.
“If the home is in a high-risk flood zone, your lender will make you get flood insurance,” he said. “Obviously, this is going to impact your budget.”
But FEMA’s designated areas have increasingly faced criticism after homes in areasthat weren’t considered at risk have been hit with devastating floods, such as the North Carolina mountain town of Chimney Rock, hard-hit byHurricane Heleneflooding.
“Low or moderate risk doesn’t mean no-risk,” Bhatt said. “Flood insurance is also worth considering, even for a home in a low- or moderate-risk zone. It helps protect your investment.”
Bhatt said there investments, although often costly, that can protect homes from floods.
“These steps can include simple things like elevating your heating and cooling systems to a higher floor and installing flood openings to minimize damage from a potential flood,” he said.”A more elaborate–and expensive–option is to elevate the home.”
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