Flood insurance cost · ZIP 78520 · TX
Flood insurance cost in ZIP 78520 (Brownsville, TX)
What homeowners with a National Flood Insurance Program policy actually pay, from FEMA's records of 668 home policies in force on August 31, 2026.
Median annual cost of NFIP flood insurance for a home
$688a year
Half of insured homes paid between $594 and $815. That is about the same as the Cameron County median ($676). Most insured homes here are rated in zone X (71%).
This is what policyholders paid, not a quote. Two neighbors can pay very different prices: NFIP prices depend on the building (elevation, foundation, number of floors, replacement cost), the coverage and deductible chosen and the distance to water (FEMA FloodSmart: premium factors). For a price for your building, ask an insurance agent. Private flood insurance is not included in these figures.
Cost by flood zone in ZIP code 78520
The flood zone on FEMA's map is one of the main price factors. Median and middle half of what insured homes paid, by the zone used to rate the policy.
| Flood zone | Median | Middle half (25th–75th percentile) | Average | Policies | vs last year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A High risk | $670 | $589–$813 | $738 | 56 (8%) | −0.7% |
| Zone AO High risk, shallow | $767 | $654–$953 | $818 | 37 (6%) | +4.5% |
| Zone AH High risk, shallow | $650 | $564–$797 | $716 | 102 (15%) | +0.5% |
| Zone X Moderate to low risk | $689 | $602–$804 | $726 | 473 (71%) | +3.0% |
Not shown (fewer than 10 home policies): VE, AE, A99/AR, D. Shares are of all insured homes; a few policies have no rated zone. "vs last year" compares medians with policies in force a year earlier.
Cost by type of building
All NFIP policies in force in ZIP code 78520, by what they insure.
| Type of building | Policies | Median | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family home | 640 | $686 | $731 |
| 2–4 unit building | 17 | $762 | $801 |
| Whole residential building (5+ units or condo association) One policy covers the whole building, so the cost is much higher than for a single home. | 26 | $1,726 | $1,646 |
| Non-residential building or unit Businesses, churches, farm buildings and other non-residential property. | 137 | $1,485 | $1,649 |
Not shown (fewer than 10 policies): manufactured (mobile) home, condo or apartment unit.
One year on: ZIP code 78520
Policies in force on August 31, 2026 compared with a year earlier. Nationwide, practically all policies in both years carry FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 occupancy codes, so both years use the same pricing system. The policies are not the same: some were new, some lapsed.
| Aug 31, 2025 | Aug 31, 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home policies in force | 726 | 668 | −8.0% |
| Median annual cost | $672 | $688 | +2.4% |
| Average annual cost | $703 | $730 | +3.8% |
| All policies in force (any building) | 877 | 831 | −5.2% |
Flood claims history
Since 1978, NFIP policyholders in ZIP 78520 have filed 342 flood claims. 220 received a payment, for a total of $3,917,046 (an average of $17,805 per paid claim). The year with the most claims was 2015 (50 claims). Amounts are in dollars of the time, not adjusted for inflation.
All years with at least 10 claims (13)
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Total paid | Average per paid claim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 50 | 42 | $1,033,311 | $24,603 |
| 2010 | 24 | 20 | $1,137,296 | $56,865 |
| 2008 | 48 | 23 | $162,443 | $7,063 |
| 2007 | 10 | <10 | – | – |
| 2004 | 19 | 13 | $214,644 | $16,511 |
| 2003 | 11 | <10 | – | – |
| 1997 | 12 | <10 | – | – |
| 1996 | 11 | <10 | – | – |
| 1991 | 14 | <10 | – | – |
| 1987 | 17 | 14 | $18,762 | $1,340 |
| 1984 | 23 | 11 | $41,896 | $3,809 |
| 1983 | 17 | 12 | $96,105 | $8,009 |
| 1980 | 30 | 18 | $170,220 | $9,457 |
2026 is a partial year. Claims are counted where the insured property is; they include buildings and contents, homes and businesses.
NFIP communities in this ZIP code
Brownsville (622 home policies) · Unincorporated Cameron County (46 home policies). A ZIP code can cross city and county lines; each policy is counted once, in the ZIP code reported for the insured building.