Water damage restoration · Norman, Oklahoma
Water damage restoration in Norman, OK
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Norman-area ZIPs: 197 flood claims since 1979[1]; 38% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Norman, in Cleveland County — ZIPs 73026, 73072, 73071, 73069, 73019, 73070, counts 130,943 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Norman water damage snapshot: the key figures
- Population (2025 est.)
- 130,943[3]+2.3% since 2020
- County
- Cleveland[3]
- Land area
- 178.7 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 197 since 1979[1]$3,741,212 paid across 152 claims · ZIP 73026, 73072, 73071, 73069, 73019, 73070
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 67[5]2016–2025 · latest Jun 3, 2025
- Winter-storm & freeze days, cleveland zone
- 21[5]2016–2025; hard freezes burst pipes
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Cleveland Co.
- 5[6]of 33 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 38%[2]the 5th-lowest share of the 14 Oklahoma City–area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 47%[2]2020–2024
What Norman's numbers say about water damage
Norman is one of the most established suburbs tracked here — 130,943 people (2025 estimate), up just 2.3% since 2020[3]. The city spans 178.7 square miles at 733 residents per square mile (the 9th densest) and sits entirely in Cleveland County, served by ZIP codes 73026, 73072, 73071, 73069, 73019, 73070[4].
Norman mixes 17% of homes built since 2010 and 38% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
Mail to Norman goes through 6 ZIP codes — 73026 (51% of the city's land), 73072 (16% of the city's land), 73071 (12% of the city's land), 73069 (9% of the city's land), 73019 (0% of the city's land), 73070 (0% of the city's land)[7].
Nearest of the other suburbs we track: Moore (9.5 mi NW), Newcastle (14.1 mi W) and Midwest City (15.2 mi N)[4].
197 flood-insurance claims have come from Norman-area ZIP codes (73026, 73072, 73071, 73069, 73019, 73070) since 1979, and $3,741,212 has been paid on them (about $24,613 per paid claim)[1]. 2015 was the worst year, with 36 claims. That is the 2nd-most of the 14 Oklahoma City–area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Moore (50), Newcastle (104), and Midwest City (107). Outside water is a real part of the picture here. Of the 195 claims rated in a flood zone, 94 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 101 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Norman-area flood claims cluster in May (91), July (24), and August (24) — 139 of 197 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Norman, weather observers filed 67 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (55 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 5 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding (DR-4222, 2015)[6]. Nearby: Moore (100), Newcastle (75), and Midwest City (48).
38% of Norman's 56,665 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 5th-lowest share of the 14 Oklahoma City–area suburbs we cover (Moore (39%), Newcastle (18%), and Midwest City (60%)). In newer houses, check fittings, washer hoses and the water-heater pan first — and any builder warranty.
Freeze days in the cleveland zone: 21 in 2016–2025, latest Feb 21, 2025[5]. Nearby: Moore (21), Newcastle (20), and Midwest City (29).
47% of Norman households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Among the 14 suburbs tracked here, Norman stands out for the 2nd-most NFIP flood claims (197)[1] and the 2nd-highest renter share (47%)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Water on the move: it spreads across floors and wicks upward into drywall until it is stopped.
Norman storm calendar
Within 10 miles of Norman, 2016–2025: 55 flash-flood reports and 12 flood reports[5]. Peak: 76% in June, July, and August. Busiest year 2024 (17). Busiest month August 2024 (11). Latest: flash-flood report, Jun 3, 2025, 6.3 mi out.
| Month | Flash flood | Flood | Heavy rain | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| Apr | 7 | 1 | – | 8 |
| May | 2 | 1 | – | 3 |
| Jun | 10 | 4 | – | 14 |
| Jul | 9 | 4 | – | 13 |
| Aug | 22 | 2 | – | 24 |
| Sep | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Dec | 1 | – | – | 1 |
water damage help in Norman: what to do next
Requests go to Water damage restoration contractors serving the Norman area — ZIP codes 73026, 73072, 73071, 73069, 73019, 73070.
Before reaching out: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Norman homes by building type
35%[2] of Norman's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 31%, the highest multi-unit share of the 14 Oklahoma City–area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is 5–9 units: 4,052 of 56,665 housing units[2].
Norman also has 1,662 mobile homes (2.9%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 35,084 | 61.9% | ±1,063 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 2,387 | 4.2% | ±586 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 1,586 | 2.8% | ±314 |
| 3–4 units | 3,448 | 6.1% | ±531 |
| 5–9 units | 4,052 | 7.2% | ±578 |
| 10–19 units | 3,972 | 7.0% | ±567 |
| 20–49 units | 1,474 | 2.6% | ±360 |
| 50 or more units | 2,980 | 5.3% | ±509 |
| Mobile home | 1,662 | 2.9% | ±295 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 20 | 0.0% | ±29 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Norman numbers behind this page
| Measure | Norman | Median of 14 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 197 | 96 | 102 more |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 67 | 35 | 32 more |
| Renter-occupied | 47% | 33% | 13 pts higher |
| Median home value | $250,100 | $201,700 | 24% higher |
| Built before 1980 | 38% | 49% | 12 pts lower |
| Owner-occupied | 53% | 67% | 13 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1981 | 7 years newer |
Largest differences first. Medians are the middle value across the covered Oklahoma City–area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Freeze days | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norman | 197 | 67 | 21 | 38% | 47% |
| Moore 9.5 mi | 50 | 100 | 21 | 39% | 32% |
| Newcastle 14.1 mi | 104 | 75 | 20 | 18% | 16% |
| Midwest City 15.2 mi | 107 | 48 | 29 | 60% | 42% |
| Del City 15.3 mi | 87 | 79 | 29 | 84% | 44% |
| Choctaw 17.4 mi | 33 | 15 | 29 | 46% | 12% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73026 | 17 | $209,965 | 2015 (8) | 13 of 17 |
| 73072 | 95 | $2,000,702 | 1993 (16) | 54 of 94 |
| 73071 | 37 | $659,419 | 2015 (9) | 24 of 36 |
| 73069 | 47 | $866,059 | 1987 (8) | 10 of 47 |
| 73019 | 0 | $0 | — | — |
| 73070 | 1 | $5,067 | 1998 (1) | 0 of 1 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2015 | 36 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| February | 5 |
| March | 2 |
| April | 9 |
| May | 91 |
| June | 22 |
| July | 24 |
| August | 24 |
| September | 9 |
| October | 7 |
| November | 3 |
| December | 1 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 2025 | Flash Flood | 6.3 mi |
| Apr 30, 2025 | Flash Flood | 6.5 mi |
| Apr 26, 2025 | Flash Flood | 6.0 mi |
| Apr 26, 2025 | Flash Flood | 6.8 mi |
| Apr 26, 2025 | Flash Flood | 8.4 mi |
| Apr 19, 2025 | Flash Flood | 9.6 mi |
| Sep 22, 2024 | Flash Flood | 8.4 mi |
| Sep 22, 2024 | Flash Flood | 6.3 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Norman's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 73026 | 51% | 84% |
| 73072 | 16% | 55% |
| 73071 | 12% | 92% |
| 73069 | 9% | 97% |
| 73019 | 0% | 69% |
| 73070 | 0% | 100% |
water damage questions from Norman homeowners
Do I need flood insurance in Norman?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Norman-area ZIPs have 30 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Norman ZIP codes do these crews cover?
73026, 73072, 73071, 73069, 73019, and 73070[7], in Cleveland County. Nearby pages: Moore (9.5 mi), Newcastle (14.1 mi), and Midwest City (15.2 mi)[4].
Which Norman ZIP code has the most flood claims?
73072, with 95 NFIP claims and $2,000,702 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Norman?
Jun 3, 2025: a flash flood report 6.3 miles from the city center[5].
My Norman home is fairly new — could the plumbing fixtures and water heater still be under warranty?
Possibly: 17% of Norman's housing units were built in 2010 or later[2], the 5th-highest share of the 14 Oklahoma City–area suburbs we cover. Check your closing paperwork for warranties before paying for a repair.
I rent in Norman. Who arranges the repair?
47% of occupied Norman homes are rented[2], the 2nd-highest share of the 14 Oklahoma City–area suburbs we cover. Tell your landlord or property manager in writing first; your lease says who arranges repairs.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.