Flood risk in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
LOW RISKFEMA NFIP historical data aggregated to the county level. Use this as a starting point; parcel-specific zones live on FEMA's flood map service.
Context
Total paid out on claims in Matanuska-Susitna Borough to date: $258,878. A single catastrophic event can skew the average. Compare with neighboring counties to see if the signal is localized or regional.
Frequently asked questions
What is the flood risk in Matanuska-Susitna Borough?
Historical signal from FEMA NFIP: 17 total claims (0.43 per 1,000 housing units), low bucket. Buckets are normalized by housing-unit density (low: <1, moderate: 1 to 10, high: 10 to 50, very-high: 50+ claims per 1k units), so dense urban counties are not penalized for size alone.
Is historical data a forecast?
No. Historical claims are a backward-looking signal. Climate change, upstream development, and local flood mitigation investment can all shift future risk.
Do I need flood insurance?
Mortgage lenders typically require flood insurance for properties in a FEMA designated Special Flood Hazard Area. Even outside those areas, NFIP or private flood insurance is often advisable if any historical claims exist in the county.