Water damage restoration · Surprise, Arizona
Water damage restoration in Surprise, AZ
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Surprise-area ZIPs: 5 flood claims since 2000[1]; 3% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Surprise, in Maricopa County — ZIPs 85387, 85361, 85374, 85388, 85379, 85378, counts 175,304 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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The Surprise water damage picture in brief
- Population (2025 est.)
- 175,304[3]+22.5% since 2020
- County
- Maricopa[3]
- Land area
- 110.5 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 5 since 2000[1]$19,432 paid across 2 claims · ZIP 85387, 85361, 85374, 85388, 85379, 85378
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 30[5]2016–2025 · latest Nov 18, 2025
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Maricopa Co.
- 3[6]of 17 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 3%[2]the 2nd-lowest share of the 15 Phoenix-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 21%[2]2020–2024
Reading the Surprise data for water damage
Surprise counts 175,304 residents (2025 estimate), growing at a middle-of-the-pack 22.5% since 2020[3]. On the map that's 110.5 square miles holding 1,586 residents per square mile, the 9th densest of the suburbs here; it sits entirely in Maricopa County, with ZIP codes 85387, 85361, 85374, 85388, 85379, 85378[4].
Surprise mixes 22% of homes built since 2010 and 3% 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 Surprise goes through 6 ZIP codes — 85387 (36% of the city's land), 85361 (12% of the city's land), 85374 (12% of the city's land), 85388 (11% of the city's land), 85379 (10% of the city's land), 85378 (3% of the city's land)[7].
The closest tracked neighbours are Peoria (11.5 mi NE), Glendale (17.9 mi SE) and Buckeye (19.8 mi SW)[4].
5 flood-insurance claims have come from Surprise-area ZIP codes (85387, 85361, 85374, 85388, 85379, 85378) since 2000, and $19,432 has been paid on them (about $9,716 per paid claim)[1]. 2014 was the worst year, with 3 claims. That is the fewest of the 15 Phoenix-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Peoria (33), Glendale (80), and Buckeye (104). Most jobs here start inside the house. Of the 4 claims rated in a flood zone, 3 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 1 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Surprise-area flood claims cluster in August (3), October (1), and December (1) — 5 of 5 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Surprise, weather observers filed 30 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (26 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 3 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4203, 2014)[6]. Nearby: Peoria (16), Glendale (77), and Buckeye (16).
3% of Surprise's 62,098 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 2nd-lowest share of the 15 Phoenix-area suburbs we cover (Peoria (10%), Glendale (35%), and Buckeye (4%)). In newer houses, check fittings, washer hoses and the water-heater pan first — and any builder warranty.
79% of Surprise households own their home[2], so most claims and rebuilds here are coordinated by the owner.
Among the 15 suburbs tracked here, Surprise stands out for the fewest NFIP flood claims (5, tied with Fountain Hills)[1] and the 2nd-lowest pre-1980 housing share (3%)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Give a leak time and it travels — outward across the floor, upward into drywall by capillary action.
Surprise storm calendar
Within 10 miles of Surprise, 2016–2025: 26 flash-flood reports and 4 heavy-rain reports[5]. Peak: 73% in July, August, and September. Busiest year 2021 (8); 3 of 10 years had none. Busiest month July 2021 (6). Latest: flash-flood report, Nov 18, 2025, 5.4 mi out.
| Month | Flash flood | Flood | Heavy rain | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar | 1 | – | 2 | 3 |
| Jul | 7 | – | 1 | 8 |
| Aug | 8 | – | 1 | 9 |
| Sep | 5 | – | – | 5 |
| Oct | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Nov | 2 | – | – | 2 |
Finding water damage help around Surprise
Water damage restoration contractors taking requests around Surprise cover ZIP codes 85387, 85361, 85374, 85388, 85379, 85378.
Before you call: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Surprise homes by building type
With 86%[2] of homes detached, most Surprise water-damage jobs stay inside one house — the owner's policy and the owner's call.
After detached houses, the biggest group is mobile home: 2,404 of 62,098 housing units[2].
Surprise also has 2,404 mobile homes (3.9%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 53,229 | 85.7% | ±971 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 1,032 | 1.7% | ±324 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 295 | 0.5% | ±168 |
| 3–4 units | 617 | 1.0% | ±221 |
| 5–9 units | 821 | 1.3% | ±276 |
| 10–19 units | 783 | 1.3% | ±270 |
| 20–49 units | 884 | 1.4% | ±288 |
| 50 or more units | 1,853 | 3.0% | ±339 |
| Mobile home | 2,404 | 3.9% | ±392 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 180 | 0.3% | ±69 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
Surprise by the numbers
| Measure | Surprise | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 5 | 21 | 16 fewer |
| Built before 1980 | 3% | 10% | 7 pts lower |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 30 | 22 | 8 more |
| Renter-occupied | 21% | 27% | 6 pts lower |
| Owner-occupied | 79% | 73% | 6 pts higher |
| Median home value | $435,100 | $455,400 | 4% lower |
| Median year built | 2005 | 2002 | 3 years newer |
Biggest gaps first. Medians are middle values across the Phoenix-area suburbs we cover, drawn from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surprise | 5 | 30 | 3% | 21% |
| Peoria 11.5 mi | 33 | 16 | 10% | 24% |
| Glendale 17.9 mi | 80 | 77 | 35% | 43% |
| Buckeye 19.8 mi | 104 | 16 | 4% | 14% |
| Avondale 25.7 mi | 20 | 24 | 12% | 38% |
| Goodyear 29.2 mi | 113 | 21 | 4% | 22% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85387 | 3 | $19,432 | 2014 (2) | 0 of 2 |
| 85361 | 2 | $0 | 2000 (1) | 1 of 2 |
| 85374 | 0 | $0 | — | — |
| 85388 | 0 | $0 | — | — |
| 85379 | 0 | $0 | — | — |
| 85378 | 0 | $0 | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| August | 3 |
| October | 1 |
| December | 1 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 2.7 mi |
| Nov 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 5.4 mi |
| Sep 26, 2025 | Flash Flood | 2.7 mi |
| Sep 26, 2025 | Flash Flood | 7.4 mi |
| Sep 21, 2022 | Flash Flood | 3.7 mi |
| Aug 20, 2022 | Flash Flood | 5.0 mi |
| Aug 7, 2022 | Flash Flood | 2.6 mi |
| Aug 13, 2021 | Flash Flood | 5.7 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Surprise's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 85387 | 36% | 65% |
| 85361 | 12% | 12% |
| 85374 | 12% | 100% |
| 85388 | 11% | 94% |
| 85379 | 10% | 100% |
| 85378 | 3% | 75% |
Surprise water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Surprise?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Surprise-area ZIPs have 0 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Surprise ZIP codes do these crews cover?
85387, 85361, 85374, 85388, 85379, and 85378[7], in Maricopa County. Nearby pages: Peoria (11.5 mi), Glendale (17.9 mi), and Buckeye (19.8 mi)[4].
Which Surprise ZIP code has the most flood claims?
85387, with 3 NFIP claims and $19,432 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Surprise?
Nov 18, 2025: a flash flood report 2.7 miles from the city center[5].
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.