Water damage restoration · Bellevue, Washington
Water damage restoration in Bellevue, WA
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Bellevue-area ZIPs: 77 flood claims since 1979[1]; 47% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Bellevue, in King County — ZIPs 98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, 98007, counts 154,193 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Bellevue water damage snapshot: the key figures
- Population (2025 est.)
- 154,193[3]+1.5% since 2020
- County
- King[3]
- Land area
- 33.5 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 77 since 1979[1]$894,161 paid across 43 claims · ZIP 98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, 98007
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 3[5]2016–2025 · latest Dec 5, 2023
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, King Co.
- 11[6]of 18 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 47%[2]the 5th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 48%[2]2020–2024
What Bellevue's numbers say about water damage
Bellevue counts 154,193 residents (2025 estimate), growing at a middle-of-the-pack 1.5% since 2020[3]. It covers 33.5 square miles (4,606 residents per square mile, the 5th densest), sits entirely in King County, in ZIP codes 98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, 98007[4].
Bellevue mixes 15% of homes built since 2010 and 47% 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 Bellevue goes through 5 ZIP codes — 98006 (32% of the city's land), 98005 (22% of the city's land), 98008 (17% of the city's land), 98004 (16% of the city's land), 98007 (13% of the city's land)[7].
Nearest of the other suburbs we track: Sammamish (5.5 mi E), Redmond (5.9 mi N) and Issaquah (6.2 mi SE)[4].
77 flood-insurance claims have come from Bellevue-area ZIP codes (98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, 98007) since 1979, and $894,161 has been paid on them (about $20,794 per paid claim)[1]. 2006 was the worst year, with 10 claims. That is the 3rd-most of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Sammamish (27), Redmond (17), and Issaquah (243). Outside water is a real part of the picture here. Of the 75 claims rated in a flood zone, 5 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 70 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Bellevue-area flood claims cluster in January (11), November (9), and December (20) — 40 of 77 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Bellevue, weather observers filed 3 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025[5]. Countywide: 11 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4906, 2025)[6]. Nearby: Sammamish (1), Redmond (3), and Issaquah (1).
47% of Bellevue's 66,021 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 5th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover (Sammamish (13%), Redmond (26%), and Issaquah (17%)). Aging supply lines and valves are the usual hidden-leak suspects in houses that old.
48% of Bellevue households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Among the 15 suburbs tracked here, Bellevue stands out for the most flood reports nearby (3, tied with 3 other suburbs)[5], the 2nd-highest median home value ($1,340,300)[2], and the 3rd-most NFIP flood claims (77)[1].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Water on the move: it spreads across floors and wicks upward into drywall until it is stopped.
Finding water damage help around Bellevue
Water damage restoration contractors taking requests around Bellevue cover ZIP codes 98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, 98007.
Before you pick up the phone: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Bellevue homes by building type
54%[2] of Bellevue's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 48%, the 4th-highest multi-unit share of the 15 Seattle-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 50 or more units: 14,014 of 66,021 housing units[2].
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 30,602 | 46.4% | ±826 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 3,761 | 5.7% | ±396 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 745 | 1.1% | ±245 |
| 3–4 units | 2,818 | 4.3% | ±349 |
| 5–9 units | 5,345 | 8.1% | ±769 |
| 10–19 units | 3,497 | 5.3% | ±523 |
| 20–49 units | 5,167 | 7.8% | ±587 |
| 50 or more units | 14,014 | 21.2% | ±844 |
| Mobile home | 72 | 0.1% | ±55 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The data underneath this Bellevue page
| Measure | Bellevue | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 3 | 1 | 2 more |
| Median home value | $1,340,300 | $686,900 | 95% higher |
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 77 | 46 | 31 more |
| Built before 1980 | 47% | 39% | 7 pts higher |
| Renter-occupied | 48% | 45% | 3 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 52% | 55% | 3 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 | 3 years older |
Biggest gaps first. Medians are middle values across the Seattle-area suburbs we cover, drawn from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellevue | 77 | 3 | 47% | 48% |
| Sammamish 5.5 mi | 27 | 1 | 13% | 17% |
| Redmond 5.9 mi | 17 | 3 | 26% | 57% |
| Issaquah 6.2 mi | 243 | 1 | 17% | 43% |
| Kirkland 7.2 mi | 29 | 3 | 44% | 39% |
| Renton 8.4 mi | 66 | 2 | 39% | 46% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98006 | 21 | $560,893 | 1990 (4) | 20 of 21 |
| 98005 | 6 | $1,193 | 2001 (1) | 5 of 6 |
| 98008 | 12 | $174,355 | 2020 (3) | 9 of 11 |
| 98004 | 22 | $62,926 | 2006 (6) | 21 of 21 |
| 98007 | 16 | $94,794 | 2003 (6) | 15 of 16 |
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 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 11 |
| February | 5 |
| March | 5 |
| April | 2 |
| May | 6 |
| August | 7 |
| September | 4 |
| October | 8 |
| November | 9 |
| December | 20 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2023 | Heavy Rain | 7.8 mi |
| Dec 4, 2023 | Heavy Rain | 7.8 mi |
| Jan 6, 2022 | Heavy Rain | 10.0 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Bellevue's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 98006 | 32% | 94% |
| 98005 | 22% | 100% |
| 98008 | 17% | 100% |
| 98004 | 16% | 75% |
| 98007 | 13% | 100% |
Bellevue water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Bellevue?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Bellevue-area ZIPs have 8 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Bellevue ZIP codes do these crews cover?
98006, 98005, 98008, 98004, and 98007[7], in King County. Nearby pages: Sammamish (5.5 mi), Redmond (5.9 mi), and Issaquah (6.2 mi)[4].
Which Bellevue ZIP code has the most flood claims?
98004, with 22 NFIP claims and $62,926 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Bellevue?
Dec 5, 2023: a heavy rain report 7.8 miles from the city center[5].
A lot of Bellevue homes predate 1980 — what does that mean for plumbing fixtures and water heater work?
47% of Bellevue's housing units were built before 1980, 12.4% before 1960[2] — the 5th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover. Older supply lines and original shut-off valves are common failure points — know where your main shut-off is before you need it.
My Bellevue home is fairly new — could the plumbing fixtures and water heater still be under warranty?
Possibly: 15% of Bellevue's housing units were built in 2010 or later[2], the 5th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover. Check your closing paperwork for warranties before paying for a repair.
I rent in Bellevue. Who arranges the repair?
48% of occupied Bellevue homes are rented[2], the 5th-highest share of the 15 Seattle-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.