Most of Bay Point isn’t, but land near the water can be. FEMA’s current map shows a high-risk Zone AE, with a base flood elevation of 10 feet, along the Suisun Bay shoreline and marsh, while most of Bay Point’s land maps as Zone X, minimal flood hazard (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, Contra Costa County map 06013C, queried September 25, 2026).
So the answer lives at the address, not the ZIP code. Five minutes on FEMA’s free map settles it.
Which parts of Bay Point does FEMA map as high risk?
The low ground by the bay, plus a few creek channels. When we checked a grid of points across Bay Point on FEMA’s flood layer, these are the zones FEMA’s data lists (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, queried September 25, 2026):
- Zone AE, base flood elevation 10 feet: the Suisun Bay shoreline and marsh, the largest high-risk area.
- Zone AE (including a mapped floodway), Zone A and Zone AO, with no single elevation listed: narrow bands along channels farther inland.
- Zone X, 0.2% annual chance flood hazard: a small area.
- Zone X, area of minimal flood hazard: most of Bay Point’s land.
We’re not publishing a list of streets. Lines on a flood map cut through blocks and even through single lots, so the only list that counts is your own lookup.
How do I check one Bay Point address?
Go to FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov and type the full street address. Zoom to the parcel and read the zone label on it.
A few tips for Bay Point:
- Check the whole lot. A backyard that slopes toward the marsh can map differently than the front of the house.
- Use the property address, even if it says Pittsburg. Bay Point and Pittsburg share ZIP 94565, and FEMA’s map is drawn on the land, not the mailing name.
- Write down the zone and the panel number. Bay Point spans six FEMA map panels. Panels 06013C0112H and 06013C0113H took effect March 21, 2017; panels 06013C0111G, 06013C0114G, 06013C0116G and 06013C0118G took effect September 30, 2015 (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, queried September 25, 2026). You’ll want the zone and panel when you call an insurance agent.
What do Zone AE and “10 feet” mean?
Zone AE is one of FEMA’s high-risk zones. FloodSmart lists A, AE, AH, AO, AR and A99 as high-risk flood areas (FloodSmart, “What is my flood zone?”, checked September 25, 2026).
The 10 feet is not a water depth. FEMA defines the base flood elevation as the height of surface water in a flood that has a 1% chance of reaching or passing that level in any given year (FEMA, glossary, checked September 25, 2026). How much water that means for a given house depends on how high its floor sits compared with that line. An insurance agent can tell you what documents they need to measure that.
Zone X on its own isn’t a promise of dry feet either. FloodSmart says 1 in 3 flood insurance claims comes from low and moderate risk zones (same FloodSmart page).
Will my lender make me buy flood insurance?
If the home is in Zone AE and your loan is federally backed, expect yes. FloodSmart says that if you own a property in a high-risk zone and have a federally backed mortgage, you are required to buy flood insurance as a condition of that loan (FloodSmart, checked September 25, 2026). Your lender’s rules decide the details.
We aren’t insurance agents and don’t give insurance advice. Get a quote from a licensed insurance agent before you remove contingencies, so the premium is part of your payment math, not a surprise at closing. FloodSmart.gov explains the federal program in plain English.
What must a Bay Point seller disclose about flooding?
It’s on a state form. California’s Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement asks whether the property lies in a Special Flood Hazard Area, meaning any Zone A or V designated by FEMA, and whether it sits in an area of potential flooding from a dam failure (California Civil Code section 1103.2, checked September 25, 2026).
Read that report as soon as you get it. For what the law requires of a seller, ask a real estate attorney. For what the map shows, go to FEMA.
What should I do before I make an offer on a Bay Point home near the water?
Keep it simple:
- Look up the address at msc.fema.gov. Note the zone.
- If it’s Zone A or AE, get a flood insurance quote early in escrow.
- Read the Natural Hazard Disclosure the day it arrives.
- Walk out to Bay Point Regional Shoreline at the end of McAvoy Road and look at how low the marsh sits next to the nearby streets. It tells you more than a map legend.
Questions people also ask
How do I find the flood zone for a Bay Point address?
Search the street address at FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, msc.fema.gov, and read the zone on the parcel. Bay Point spans more than one Contra Costa County map panel, so note the panel number your lookup shows. Because Bay Point shares ZIP 94565 with Pittsburg, search the full address rather than the ZIP. Check the whole lot, not only the house.
Is Bay Point in a flood zone?
Part of it. FEMA’s flood layer, queried September 25, 2026, shows high-risk Zone AE with a 10-foot base flood elevation along the Suisun Bay shoreline and marsh, plus narrower Zone A, AE and AO bands along some inland channels. Most of Bay Point’s land maps as Zone X, minimal flood hazard. Your answer depends on the exact parcel, so look it up.
Do I need flood insurance in Bay Point?
If the home is in a high-risk zone like AE and you have a federally backed mortgage, FloodSmart says flood insurance is required as a condition of the loan, checked September 25, 2026. Outside those zones it is usually optional. FloodSmart also notes 1 in 3 flood claims comes from low and moderate risk zones. Ask a licensed insurance agent for a quote.
What does base flood elevation 10 feet mean?
FEMA defines base flood elevation as the height floodwater is expected to reach in a flood with a 1% chance of happening in any year. On the Bay Point shoreline map it is 10 feet. It is an elevation, not a depth of water, so what it means for a home depends on how high that building sits. An insurance agent can explain what they need to measure it.
Your next step
Found a Bay Point home near the shoreline? Send us the address. We’ll pull the FEMA zone, the flood lines on the disclosure report and recent sales on that street so you can see the full picture before you offer. Talk to a Bay Point agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.
More on Bay Point: Is Bay Point, CA a good place to live? · Selling a home in Bay Point · What’s my home worth?
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Bay Point, CA. Updated September 25, 2026.
Sources
- FEMA, National Flood Hazard Layer, Contra Costa County FIRM 06013C, flood zones and panels 06013C0112H and 06013C0113H (effective March 21, 2017), 06013C0111G, 06013C0114G, 06013C0116G and 06013C0118G (effective September 30, 2015): hazards.fema.gov (queried September 25, 2026)
- FEMA, Flood Map Service Center: msc.fema.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- FEMA, glossary, Base Flood Elevation: fema.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- FloodSmart (National Flood Insurance Program), “What is my flood zone?”: floodsmart.gov/flood-zones-and-maps/what-is-my-flood-zone (checked September 25, 2026)
- California Civil Code section 1103.2, Natural Hazard Disclosure Statement: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- East Bay Regional Park District, Bay Point Regional Shoreline: ebparks.org/parks/bay-point (checked September 25, 2026)