Check YOUR Exact Address in Buffalo
Buffalo, NY Flood Zone Map
Is Buffalo in a flood zone? Yes -- about 1% of its mapped area is in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (Special Flood Hazard Area). FEMA NFHL data shows the mapped zone breakdown below. FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records 12,173 claims in New York since 2016; 26% of all recorded New York claims are outside high-risk zones (claims data fetched 2026-10-06).
Sources: FEMA NFHL; US Census TIGERweb; FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3.
Data as of Oct 6, 2026 (FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP claims)
Published by checkmyfloodzone.com. Last updated: .
- High risk
- Moderate
- Lower risk
- Not mapped
Flood Zone Breakdown for Buffalo
About 1% of the mapped area in Buffalo falls within a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk or moderate-risk flood zone). The breakdown by zone:
- AE 1% Zone AE
- VE 0% Zone VE
- X 99% Zone X
Mapped Waterways Near Buffalo
FEMA NFHL mapped zones: AE, AO, VE, X; US Census TIGERweb water features: Buffalo Riv, Cazenovia Crk, Scajaquada Crk.. The FEMA NFHL fixture maps zones AE, AO, VE, X within the Buffalo, New York area. US Census TIGERweb maps Buffalo Riv, Cazenovia Crk, Scajaquada Crk in the same extent. These layers describe area-wide patterns; check an exact address for a property-level flood-zone result.
- Buffalo Riv
- Cazenovia Crk
- Scajaquada Crk
Flood Zone Details for Buffalo
| Zone | Risk level | Area | Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| AE | High-risk riverine or coastal flood zone with a computed base flood elevation (BFE). About a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year. | 1% | Flood insurance is typically required for federally backed mortgages. |
| VE | Coastal high-hazard zone with wave action. This is the highest-risk designation -- expect storm surge plus breaking waves. | 0% | Flood insurance is required for federally backed mortgages and is especially important here. |
| X | Lower-risk zone outside the 1% annual chance flood boundary. Flooding is still possible but less likely than in high-risk zones. | 99% | Flood insurance is not required but may still be a smart choice -- nearly one-third of flood claims (29% over 2014-2024) come from lower-risk areas. |