Charleston flood zones

Charleston Flood Zones by Neighborhood, From Real Home Sales

By Blake Heron, Realtor, Heron Homes CHS with eXp Realty.

Flood risk is one of the first questions buyers ask here, and the answer changes from one neighborhood to the next. I matched every home sold in the past 12 months in my neighborhood guides to FEMA’s current flood map. Here is how each one comes out.

2,375home sales matched to FEMA’s flood map
34neighborhoods and islands
0%high risk in St. Johns Lake, Sea Island Preserve and the Summerville Historic District
100%high risk on Kiawah and in Headquarters Plantation
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Blake's read on the market. The share of homes in a high risk flood zone runs from none at all to every single sale, sometimes within a short drive. Most beach and sea island homes sit in high risk zones, while I’On, St. Johns Lake and Sea Island Preserve have few or none. Even inside one neighborhood, two homes a street apart can land in different zones, so use these numbers to compare areas, then check the exact home.

Beaches and islands

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Isle of Palms81% high risk
112 sales mapped. High risk 91, moderate risk 20, minimal risk 1
Wild Dunes85% high risk
102 sales mapped. High risk 87, moderate risk 13, minimal risk 2
Folly Beach89% high risk
88 sales mapped. High risk 78, moderate risk 9, minimal risk 1
Seabrook Island90% high risk
153 sales mapped. High risk 138, moderate risk 15, minimal risk 0
Sullivan’s Island94% high risk
34 sales mapped. High risk 32, moderate risk 2, minimal risk 0
Kiawah Island100% high risk
95 sales mapped. High risk 95, moderate risk 0, minimal risk 0
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

Downtown Charleston

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Cannonborough and Elliotborough13% high risk
32 sales mapped. High risk 4, moderate risk 28, minimal risk 0
Ansonborough37% high risk
30 sales mapped. High risk 11, moderate risk 19, minimal risk 0
French Quarter45% high risk
20 sales mapped. High risk 9, moderate risk 11, minimal risk 0
South of Broad69% high risk
107 sales mapped. High risk 74, moderate risk 33, minimal risk 0
Harleston Village85% high risk
60 sales mapped. High risk 51, moderate risk 9, minimal risk 0
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

Daniel Island

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Daniel Island Park43% high risk
56 sales mapped. High risk 24, moderate risk 30, minimal risk 2
Daniel Island58% high risk
311 sales mapped. High risk 181, moderate risk 118, minimal risk 12
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

Mount Pleasant

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

I’On2% high risk
58 sales mapped. High risk 1, moderate risk 3, minimal risk 54
Old Village13% high risk
87 sales mapped. High risk 11, moderate risk 20, minimal risk 56
Park West18% high risk
180 sales mapped. High risk 33, moderate risk 18, minimal risk 129
Carolina Park38% high risk
109 sales mapped. High risk 41, moderate risk 14, minimal risk 54
Dunes West52% high risk
161 sales mapped. High risk 83, moderate risk 39, minimal risk 39
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

West Ashley

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Avondale5% high risk
20 sales mapped. High risk 1, moderate risk 19, minimal risk 0
Shadowmoss22% high risk
78 sales mapped. High risk 17, moderate risk 17, minimal risk 44
Carolina Bay27% high risk
112 sales mapped. High risk 30, moderate risk 40, minimal risk 42
Byrnes Downs50% high risk
22 sales mapped. High risk 11, moderate risk 11, minimal risk 0
Windermere and The Crescent67% high risk
36 sales mapped. High risk 24, moderate risk 9, minimal risk 3
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

James Island

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Riverbend14% high risk
21 sales mapped. High risk 3, moderate risk 18, minimal risk 0
Riverland Terrace16% high risk
25 sales mapped. High risk 4, moderate risk 7, minimal risk 14
Stiles Point68% high risk
19 sales mapped. High risk 13, moderate risk 4, minimal risk 2
Seaside Plantation69% high risk
29 sales mapped. High risk 20, moderate risk 9, minimal risk 0
Lawton Bluff88% high risk
16 sales mapped. High risk 14, moderate risk 2, minimal risk 0
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

Johns Island

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Sea Island Preserve0% high risk
48 sales mapped. High risk 0, moderate risk 1, minimal risk 47
St. Johns Lake0% high risk
20 sales mapped. High risk 0, moderate risk 0, minimal risk 20
Indigo Grove25% high risk
61 sales mapped. High risk 15, moderate risk 24, minimal risk 22
Kiawah River97% high risk
38 sales mapped. High risk 37, moderate risk 1, minimal risk 0
Headquarters Plantation100% high risk
15 sales mapped. High risk 15, moderate risk 0, minimal risk 0
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

Summerville

Homes sold in the past 12 months, by FEMA flood zone

Summerville Historic District0% high risk
20 sales mapped. High risk 0, moderate risk 0, minimal risk 20
High risk, zones AE, AO and VEModerate risk, shaded XMinimal risk, X

What the zones mean

High risk, A and V zones

FEMA marks its high risk areas with zones starting with A or V, and says they have at least a 1 in 4 chance of flooding during a 30 year mortgage. With a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is required. V zones are on the coast, where FEMA also maps storm waves.

Moderate and minimal risk

Zones B, C and X carry less risk, but FEMA says the risk is reduced, not removed, and that one in three flood insurance claims come from these areas. Lenders do not require flood insurance here, though it is still worth pricing.

The zone is the land, not the house

Two homes in the same zone can carry very different insurance costs. The height of the lowest floor, the foundation and the age of the home all matter, so I ask for the elevation certificate when one exists, and a licensed insurance agent can quote the exact home before you write an offer.

Official sources

Looking at a home in a flood zone

A flood zone is not a reason to skip a great home, but it should never be a surprise. I pull the zone and the elevation details for every home you are serious about, and connect you with a licensed insurance agent for a quote before you make an offer. Call or text Blake Heron at 843-718-6338. Heron Homes CHS, eXp Realty.

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Flood zones from FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer, checked October 2026, matched to the map location of each home in the Charleston MLS that closed October 2025 through September 2026 in the neighborhoods shown. Homes whose map location is shared with homes on other streets are left out. FEMA updates its maps over time, and this is general information, not an insurance or flood determination. Confirm the zone for an exact home with a flood zone determination.

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Blake Heron
Blake Heron

Agent License ID: 125922

+1(843) 718-6338

170 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

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