Flood Zones Cover Large Portions of Brazoria County

Brazoria County runs from suburbs near Pearland south to the Gulf Coast. The Brazos and San Bernard rivers, Oyster Creek, Bastrop Bayou, and Chocolate Bayou all flow through the county. FEMA marks large areas along these waterways as Special Flood Hazard Areas — zones AE, A, and VE near the coast. Homes in these zones have about a 1-in-4 chance of flooding over a 30-year mortgage.

Before you buy, look up any address at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov. The county's Floodplain Department at brazoriacountytx.gov can also give you local flood information and building permit guidance.

Flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is sold separately from a standard home insurance policy. It does not come with your homeowners policy automatically. Lenders must require it for federally backed mortgages on homes in Special Flood Hazard Areas. Flood losses happen in other parts of the county too. Many homeowners outside those zones still choose to buy coverage.