The 100 US Counties Where Renters Are Most Exposed to Uninsured Flood Losses

In 61 of the 100 highest-risk counties for renters, fewer than 1% of homes carry NFIP flood insurance, leaving tenants exposed unless they buy separate flood coverage.

By Myryah Irby

Updated: May 29, 2026

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In 61 of the 100 U.S. counties where renters carry the most uninsured flood exposure, fewer than 1% of homes hold National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage. Three of the top five counties are New York City boroughs: the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Inland cities including St. Louis, Milwaukee and Cleveland outrank most coastal markets.

Standard renters insurance doesn't cover floodwater, and renters have no lender requiring them to buy a separate flood policy. The shortfall runs widest where flood risk is high, renter incomes are low and flood insurance uptake is scarce.

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies counts more than 18 million U.S. rental homes in areas projected to lose value or income from climate-related hazards. After Hurricane Helene in 2024, only 2.6% of renter households who registered for FEMA assistance carried any property insurance, per JCHS. Renters occupy 34.8% of U.S. housing units, but only 0.2% of NFIP policies cover renters' belongings.

KEY FINDINGS

Three New York City boroughs rank in the top five: the Bronx (No. 1), Brooklyn (No. 3) and Manhattan (No. 4). A fourth borough, Queens, ranks No. 54.
In 61 of the top 100 counties, fewer than 1% of residential structures carry NFIP flood insurance.
Median renter income across the top 100 is $43,809, roughly $9,000 below the national renter median of $52,966.
Ninety-nine of the top 100 counties have renter cost burden rates above 40%. More than four in 10 renters spend at least 30% of income on housing.
Many of the highest-risk counties are inland, not coastal. St. Louis (No. 2), Milwaukee (No. 6) and Cleveland/Cuyahoga County (No. 11) all rank in the top 15 on riverine flood risk, low renter incomes and near-zero NFIP penetration.

10 Counties Where Renters Are Most Exposed

All 10 counties carry flood risk scores above 94 and NFIP penetration below 5%. What separates them is the mix of renter share, income and coverage. Standard renters policies don't address any of that gap. Flood insurance for renters requires a separate NFIP or private flood policy.

1
Bronx County, New York (89)
Four in five of the Bronx's 534,100 occupied housing units are renter-occupied, totaling 426,925 households. Median renter income is $40,723. The borough scores 98.5 on FEMA inland flood risk, with 2.3% NFIP penetration (1,842 contracts in force).
2
St. Louis (independent city), Missouri (82.5)
St. Louis ranks second on coverage alone. Only 137 residential NFIP contracts are in force citywide, a 0.1% penetration rate. The city carries a 97.0 flood score, a 54.7% renter share across 144,891 occupied units and $40,752 median renter income.
3
Kings County (Brooklyn), New York (82.5)
Brooklyn posts a 99.4 inland flood score and 87.2 coastal exposure, with more than 712,000 renter households across 1,009,927 occupied units. Median renter income is $66,161. NFIP penetration runs 2.9%, with 8,065 contracts in force.
4
New York County (Manhattan), New York (81)
Manhattan has a 75% renter share and a 99.2 flood risk score. Higher renter income ($84,783) reduces some of the exposure, but only 1.5% of homes carry NFIP coverage (1,886 contracts in force across 583,299 renter households).
5
Essex County, New Jersey (81)
Essex, which includes Newark, has a 98.8 flood score, 176,209 renter households and a 55.1% renter share. Median renter income is $51,273, with NFIP penetration at 1.9%.
6
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (80.6)
Milwaukee carries a 97.0 inland flood score, a 50.1% renter share (196,633 renter households) and 0.5% NFIP penetration (1,013 contracts in force). Median renter income is $44,490.
7
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania (80.5)
Philadelphia has the top 10's highest flood risk score at 99.6, along with a 48.2% renter share (327,523 renter households), $48,344 median renter income and 0.3% NFIP penetration.
8
Baltimore City, Maryland (80.5)
Baltimore also sits at 0.3% NFIP penetration, with a 94.3 flood score, 52.5% renter share (134,197 renter households) and $43,788 median renter income.
9
Hudson County, New Jersey (80.2)
Hudson has the top 10's highest renter share at 69.3% (207,608 renter households) and a 98.6 flood score. Higher renter income ($75,879) offsets some of the exposure. NFIP penetration sits at 3.5%.
10
Shelby County (Memphis), Tennessee (80.1)
Shelby closes the top 10 with a 98.7 flood score, a 45.9% renter share (166,362 renter households), $44,088 median renter income and 0.7% NFIP penetration.

Full Ranking: 100 Counties With the Highest Uninsured Renter Flood Risk

The table below lists all 100 counties by composite score. Standard renters insurance doesn't cover floodwater. Renters who want coverage for flood damage need a separate NFIP or private flood policy.


1	Bronx, New York	98.54	426,925	$40,723	2.3%
2	St. Louis, Missouri	96.98	79,279	$40,752	0.1%
3	Kings, New York	99.36	712,011	$66,161	2.9%
4	New York, New York	99.24	583,299	$84,783	1.5%
5	Essex, New Jersey	98.82	176,209	$51,273	1.9%
6	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	97.04	196,633	$44,490	0.5%
7	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	99.59	327,523	$48,344	0.3%
8	Baltimore, Maryland	94.27	134,197	$43,788	0.3%
9	Hudson, New Jersey	98.57	207,608	$75,879	3.5%
10	Shelby, Tennessee	98.66	166,362	$44,088	0.7%
11	Cuyahoga, Ohio	98.73	225,378	$40,410	0.2%
12	Pulaski, Arkansas	96.76	74,143	$40,190	1.1%
13	Franklin, Ohio	98.79	260,976	$52,781	0.3%
14	Los Angeles, California	100.0	1,848,466	$66,677	0.5%
15	Hinds, Mississippi	95.13	37,315	$32,030	2.8%
16	Champaign, Illinois	90.36	39,299	$33,434	0.3%
17	Marion, Indiana	98.28	173,991	$45,770	0.7%
18	Fresno, California	98.7	144,331	$49,705	0.4%
19	Imperial, California	94.12	21,434	$38,992	0.1%
20	Dougherty, Georgia	87.56	18,742	$38,240	2.8%
21	Oklahoma, Oklahoma	97.65	137,172	$44,020	0.5%
22	Doña Ana, New Mexico	98.38	29,315	$32,698	1.2%
23	Dallas, Texas	99.55	483,826	$59,770	0.8%
24	Wayne, Michigan	99.4	246,939	$37,565	0.5%
25	Suffolk, Massachusetts	94.72	207,832	$69,876	2.5%
26	Hamilton, Ohio	96.91	144,332	$41,891	0.4%
27	Passaic, New Jersey	97.84	83,966	$51,907	2.2%
28	Fayette, Kentucky	92.68	64,594	$43,391	0.4%
29	Humboldt, California	94.18	23,869	$41,604	0.7%
30	Bexar, Texas	99.65	309,018	$49,697	0.8%
31	Hampden, Massachusetts	95.87	69,691	$36,774	0.4%
32	Montgomery, Alabama	94.05	38,598	$39,479	0.9%
33	Jackson, Missouri	96.5	125,355	$45,021	0.2%
34	Kern, California	98.47	113,798	$46,101	1.2%
35	Davidson, Tennessee	98.19	153,381	$56,133	1.8%
36	Providence, Rhode Island	96.6	111,642	$48,754	0.5%
37	Jefferson, Kentucky	99.11	125,573	$44,530	1.2%
38	Clark, Nevada	99.62	364,134	$54,645	0.2%
39	Tulsa, Oklahoma	97.93	109,868	$46,926	0.7%
40	Jefferson, Alabama	98.09	97,464	$41,092	0.5%
41	Lucas, Ohio	95.42	69,694	$38,365	0.6%
42	Leon, Florida	91.51	58,151	$41,086	2.8%
43	Cook, Illinois	99.94	887,660	$55,388	0.5%
44	Guilford, North Carolina	96.63	88,003	$45,099	0.4%
45	Lubbock, Texas	92.11	56,165	$42,035	0.8%
46	Richmond, Georgia	86.48	37,409	$37,596	0.9%
47	Erie, New York	99.01	140,013	$42,230	0.4%
48	Floyd, Kentucky	97.81	4,089	$24,030	3.3%
49	Richland, South Carolina	94.56	66,738	$40,012	1.4%
50	Washington, D.C.	97.42	189,808	$76,809	1.1%
51	Cabell, West Virginia	91.92	14,085	$28,906	1.0%
52	Lane, Oregon	97.2	64,671	$46,642	1.6%
53	El Paso, Texas	96.82	107,181	$39,575	1.1%
54	Queens, New York	99.33	463,708	$72,003	3.7%
55	Pima, Arizona	99.52	152,188	$45,489	0.7%
56	Pitt, North Carolina	87.72	36,189	$39,307	2.4%
57	Caddo, Louisiana	92.05	38,112	$31,161	4.3%
58	Butte, California	93.23	35,595	$43,174	1.9%
59	Brazos, Texas	82.79	48,421	$37,341	2.0%
60	Allegheny, Pennsylvania	99.2	190,128	$46,532	0.4%
61	Sedgwick, Kansas	96.09	76,373	$43,105	0.4%
62	Monroe, New York	96.69	115,720	$43,830	0.4%
63	Montgomery, Ohio	95.52	86,837	$43,098	0.5%
64	Danville, Virginia	81.52	9,957	$37,021	0.2%
65	Tuscaloosa, Alabama	91.63	34,755	$36,149	0.8%
66	Muscogee, Georgia	87.28	40,025	$43,837	0.8%
67	Tulare, California	98.12	59,494	$50,925	3.0%
68	Mecklenburg, North Carolina	98.95	209,360	$62,675	0.8%
69	Multnomah, Oregon	95.55	163,104	$59,000	0.5%
70	Alachua, Florida	88.58	53,601	$38,969	2.6%
71	Tarrant, Texas	99.14	318,750	$56,894	0.9%
72	Bell, Kentucky	82.03	4,092	$19,393	1.7%
73	Fulton, Georgia	97.68	211,288	$62,287	0.8%
74	Richmond, Virginia	82.63	58,914	$48,196	0.6%
75	Bernalillo, New Mexico	96.28	101,241	$44,381	0.5%
76	Kanawha, West Virginia	97.9	22,131	$35,630	1.5%
77	Washington, Arkansas	90.14	43,131	$45,221	0.7%
78	Forsyth, North Carolina	94.66	58,280	$43,013	0.4%
79	Capitol Planning Region (Hartford), Connecticut	99.05	134,059	$49,201	0.5%
80	Mobile, Alabama	95.9	54,913	$36,158	3.7%
81	Broome, New York	93.19	29,085	$36,405	1.8%
82	Merced, California	94.69	39,581	$50,208	5.3%
83	Greene, Missouri	88.8	55,680	$41,578	0.2%
84	Warren, Kentucky	87.34	24,679	$41,538	0.3%
85	DeKalb, Georgia	96.25	118,371	$54,357	1.1%
86	Lackawanna, Pennsylvania	94.08	30,519	$39,028	1.2%
87	Douglas, Nebraska	95.07	91,733	$48,803	0.5%
88	Bibb, Georgia	80.44	29,119	$33,680	0.4%
89	Onondaga, New York	95.17	67,371	$41,636	0.7%
90	Winnebago, Illinois	94.37	39,606	$40,502	0.6%
91	Orange, Florida	98.41	227,990	$58,569	3.4%
92	Hidalgo, Texas	96.44	87,939	$36,139	4.0%
93	Monongalia, West Virginia	84.99	18,811	$33,682	0.4%
94	Cumberland, North Carolina	89.25	58,430	$46,059	1.2%
95	Clayton, Georgia	87.79	48,159	$45,679	0.4%
96	South Central Planning Region (New Haven), Connecticut	96.88	91,053	$50,418	3.2%
97	Ingham, Michigan	88.49	47,469	$38,673	0.7%
98	Roanoke, Virginia	84.13	20,723	$40,701	0.7%
99	Mendocino, California	95.1	13,342	$48,929	1.0%
100	Denver, Colorado	95.26	171,873	$71,437	0.4%

Where Renter Flood Vulnerability Concentrates

Renter flood vulnerability doesn't track broader insurance geography. Home insurance rates are highest in Florida, Louisiana and Texas, but the counties where renters carry the most uninsured flood exposure follow a different pattern.

Why Southern Renters Carry the Largest Share of Top-100 Counties

Thirty counties from the southern interior land in the top 100, the largest regional group. Georgia leads with seven; Kentucky and North Carolina contribute five each. The lowest median renter incomes in the ranking sit in Appalachian eastern Kentucky: Bell County at $19,393 and Floyd County at $24,030. Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee each add two or three counties.

How Western Renter Flood Risk Concentrates in California and Texas

Twenty-three western counties rank in the top 100, the second-largest group. California leads with nine, more than any other state. Los Angeles (No. 14) holds a perfect 100 flood risk score and more than 1.8 million renter households. NOAA logged 22 flood and flash flood events in LA County in 2024. Texas adds seven counties, led by Dallas (No. 23) with 23 NOAA-recorded events that year. Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado fill the rest of the region.

Where Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Renters Are Most Exposed to Flooding

The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region has 21 counties in the top 100, anchored by New York's eight: the Bronx (No. 1), Kings (No. 3), Manhattan (No. 4), Erie (No. 47), Queens (No. 54), Monroe (No. 62), Broome (No. 81) and Onondaga (No. 89). New York's statewide renter share of 45.7% is among the highest in the country.

New Jersey adds Essex (No. 5), Hudson (No. 9) and Passaic (No. 27). Pennsylvania contributes Philadelphia (No. 7), Allegheny (No. 60) and Lackawanna (No. 86). NOAA logged 44 flood and flash flood events in Allegheny County in 2024. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, D.C. round out the region. Standard renters policies cover water damage from burst pipes and accidental leaks but not from rising floodwater or storm surge.

Why Midwest Counties Show the Lowest NFIP Coverage in the Ranking

Seventeen Midwest counties rank in the top 100. Ohio anchors the region with five, led by Cleveland/Cuyahoga County (No. 11). Missouri adds three behind St. Louis at No. 2; Illinois contributes three, including Champaign (No. 16). Coverage runs thinnest here: St. Louis (0.1%), Cuyahoga (0.2%) and Franklin (0.3%) all sit well below the top-100 median of 0.7%. Renters insurance covers property damage from fire, theft and windstorms, but flood damage requires a separate policy.

How Gulf Coast and Southeast Counties Rank After Flood Coverage Is Factored In

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi account for nine of the top 100. Alabama contributes four: Montgomery, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa and Mobile. Florida places three. NOAA recorded 46 flood and flash flood events in Leon County (Tallahassee) in 2024, the most of any top-100 county. Hinds County, Mississippi (No. 15) and Caddo Parish, Louisiana (No. 57) close the group. Some southeastern counties with high flood risk fall out of the top 100 because higher countywide NFIP coverage offsets part of their exposure.

Renter Income and the Flood Insurance Shortfall

Median renter income across the top 100 counties is $43,809, about $9,000 below the national renter median of $52,966, per 2024 ACS data. Three counties carry median renter incomes below $30,000: Bell County, Kentucky ($19,393), Floyd County, Kentucky ($24,030) and Cabell County, West Virginia ($28,906).

Cost burden runs wide. In 99 of the top 100 counties, more than 40% of renters spend at least 30% of income on housing. Clayton County, Georgia tops the list at 59.4%, followed by Alachua County, Florida (58.1%) and Brazos County, Texas (57.8%).

NFIP penetration runs below 1% in 61 of the top 100 counties. The median across all 100 is 0.7%. Renters and homeowners pay for different coverage, and neither standard policy covers flood.

Why Renters Are the Least Protected Group in Flood-Prone Counties

The renter coverage shortfall starts with property rights. Renters don't own the buildings they live in, so a landlord's coverage doesn't extend to a tenant's furniture, electronics or clothing. Home insurance covers most natural-disaster damage to a building itself, but flood damage is excluded from standard policies.

NFIP outreach has historically targeted homeowners and mortgage holders. Lenders in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) require borrowers to carry flood insurance, which is why NFIP penetration inside SFHAs runs much higher than countywide rates. Renters without a mortgage have no one pushing them to buy.

Local rebuilding decisions follow homeowner priorities. Homeowners vote on bond measures, attend planning meetings and sit on land-use boards. Renters have fewer direct channels into floodplain protection or relocation decisions. After a flood event, a landlord's call on whether to rebuild often determines whether tenants return at all.

What Renters in These Counties Can Do

Standard renters insurance won't pay for floodwater damage, and a landlord's policy won't cover a tenant's belongings. Four options can reduce that exposure.

1
Check the FEMA flood map
The FEMA Flood Map Service Center shows whether a unit sits inside a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), the high-risk zones where lenders require coverage from property owners. An SFHA address is the clearest indicator that flood coverage is warranted.
2
Get an NFIP contents-only quote
NFIP sells contents-only flood policies for renters, capped at $100,000 in personal property coverage. Annual premiums run roughly $99 to $400 for renters outside high-risk zones.
3
Compare private flood insurers
Some private carriers sell standalone flood coverage with higher limits or faster claims turnaround than NFIP. Flood insurance coverage varies widely by state, so renters should quote both NFIP and private options before buying.
4
Document belongings before storm season
Renters who photograph each room, save receipts for high-value items and store copies in the cloud before a storm settle claims faster, whether through flood insurance or FEMA disaster assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Renters insurance, flood insurance and NFIP coverage are often conflated. The questions below clarify what each covers, what it costs and under what conditions a separate policy is warranted.

Does renters insurance cover flood damage?

No. Standard renters insurance covers water damage from burst pipes, accidental leaks and indoor overflows, but not floodwater from rivers, streets or coastal storms. A separate flood policy through the NFIP or a private flood insurer is required.

How much does flood insurance cost for renters?

NFIP contents-only flood policies for renters run $99 to $400 a year in lower-risk zones and up to $700 in high-risk zones, depending on the value of insured belongings and deductible chosen. Renters in low-risk zones often pay near the low end. Private flood policies vary more widely. The only reliable cost comparison is a direct quote.

What is NFIP penetration?

NFIP penetration is the share of residential structures in a county that carry a National Flood Insurance Program policy. A 1% rate means one in 100 homes is covered. FEMA's OpenFEMA program publishes the data. It includes both owner-occupied and renter-eligible buildings without distinguishing between them.

Who needs flood insurance as a renter?

Renters inside a Special Flood Hazard Area have the strongest case for flood coverage regardless of building age or landlord policy, because landlord policies don't cover tenant belongings. The same applies to renters outside SFHAs but near rivers, streams, low-lying coastal areas or in counties with recent flood events.

Methodology

MoneyGeek’s analysis combined four county-level datasets to produce a composite vulnerability score for 3,117 U.S. counties.

About Myryah Irby

Myryah Irby is a writer and data journalist at MoneyGeek. Her work spans original data studies and how-to guides covering auto, home and health insurance, consumer costs, and transportation safety.

Research and Analysis

Since joining MoneyGeek in late 2025, Irby has produced data studies on insurance costs, consumer spending and transportation risk. Her published work includes a 50-state analysis of winter driving danger using fatality and weather severity data; research tracking the relationship between rhodium commodity prices and catalytic converter theft rates, including state-level theft trends and what those rates mean for insurance costs; a state-by-state comparison of winter home heating costs; and an analysis of the full cost of having a baby in America: hospital bills, insurance and out-of-pocket expenses.

Career

Irby has more than 20 years of editorial and writing experience. Since 2005, she has run Irby x Irby, her own editorial and copywriting practice, with clients including The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, OpenAI and the National Park Service. From 2019 to 2023, she served as Senior Managing Editor and then Copywriting Manager at Callisto Media, a nonfiction publisher acquired by Penguin Random House in May 2023, where she led a team of writers and graphic designers.

Before that, she spent nearly 11 years at QuinStreet, a performance marketing company that runs content and comparison sites in insurance and personal finance. She rose from Managing Editor to Senior Managing Editor between 2010 and 2016. Earlier in her career, she edited at Collabrys for nearly four years and tutored doctoral candidates on dissertation writing at the University of San Francisco.

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Sources

Federal Emergency Management Agency. "National Risk Index for Natural Hazards, v1.20." Accessed May 29, 2026.
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. "Renters Vulnerable to Climate Disasters Amid Insurance Gaps." Accessed May 29, 2026.
Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. "The State of the Nation’s Housing 2025." Accessed May 29, 2026.
Insurance Information Institute. "Facts + Statistics: Renters Insurance." Accessed May 29, 2026.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "Storm Events Database, 2024." Accessed May 29, 2026.
OpenFEMA. "NFIP Residential Penetration Rates." Accessed May 29, 2026.
U.S. Census Bureau. "American Community Survey, 2020 to 2024 Five-Year Estimates." Accessed May 29, 2026.