Water damage restoration · Lakewood, Washington
Water damage restoration in Lakewood, WA
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Lakewood-area ZIPs: 46 flood claims since 1979[1]; 59% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Lakewood, in Pierce County — ZIPs 98499, 98498, counts 62,755 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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The Lakewood water damage picture in brief
- Population (2025 est.)
- 62,755[3]-1.4% since 2020
- County
- Pierce[3]
- Land area
- 17.1 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 46 since 1979[1]$1,219,599 paid across 36 claims · ZIP 98499, 98498
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 0[5]2016–2025
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Pierce Co.
- 6[6]of 13 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 59%[2]the 2nd-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 52%[2]2020–2024
Reading the Lakewood data for water damage
Lakewood is one of the most established suburbs tracked here — 62,755 people (2025 estimate), down just 1.4% since 2020[3]. The city spans 17.1 square miles at 3,678 residents per square mile (the 10th densest) and sits entirely in Pierce County, served by ZIP codes 98499, 98498[4].
Lakewood mixes 7% of homes built since 2010 and 59% 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.
2 ZIP codes cover Lakewood — 98499 (51% of the city's land), 98498 (46% of the city's land)[7].
The tracked suburbs closest by are Puyallup (11.2 mi E), Federal Way (13.6 mi NE) and Auburn (17.8 mi NE)[4].
46 flood-insurance claims have come from Lakewood-area ZIP codes (98499, 98498) since 1979, and $1,219,599 has been paid on them (about $33,878 per paid claim)[1]. 1996 was the worst year, with 25 claims. That is the 7th-fewest of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Puyallup (169), Federal Way (23), and Auburn (49). Of the 43 claims rated in a flood zone, 18 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 25 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Lakewood-area flood claims cluster in January (11), February (9), and December (21) — 41 of 46 dated claims[1].
No flood or flash-flood reports fall within 10 miles of central Lakewood for 2016–2025[5]. Countywide: 6 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4906, 2025)[6].
59% of Lakewood's 28,591 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 2nd-highest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover (Puyallup (39%), Federal Way (40%), and Auburn (33%)). Aging supply lines and valves are the usual hidden-leak suspects in houses that old.
52% of Lakewood households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Among the 15 suburbs tracked here, Lakewood stands out for the fewest flood reports nearby (0, tied with 3 other suburbs)[5], the lowest median home value ($461,200)[2], the 2nd-highest pre-1980 housing share (59%)[2], and the 2nd-oldest housing (by median year built) (1975)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
water damage help in Lakewood: what to do next
Requests go to Water damage restoration contractors serving the Lakewood area — ZIP codes 98499, 98498.
Before reaching out: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Lakewood homes by building type
51%[2] of Lakewood's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 45%, the 6th-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 10–19 units: 3,509 of 28,591 housing units[2].
Lakewood also has 1,182 mobile homes (4.1%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 12,678 | 44.3% | ±646 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 1,769 | 6.2% | ±338 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 1,331 | 4.7% | ±417 |
| 3–4 units | 2,342 | 8.2% | ±519 |
| 5–9 units | 3,105 | 10.9% | ±569 |
| 10–19 units | 3,509 | 12.3% | ±583 |
| 20–49 units | 1,510 | 5.3% | ±329 |
| 50 or more units | 1,078 | 3.8% | ±300 |
| Mobile home | 1,182 | 4.1% | ±266 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 87 | 0.3% | ±81 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
Lakewood by the numbers
| Measure | Lakewood | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 0 | 1 | 1 fewer |
| Built before 1980 | 59% | 39% | 20 pts higher |
| Median home value | $461,200 | $686,900 | 33% lower |
| Renter-occupied | 52% | 45% | 8 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 48% | 55% | 8 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1985 | 10 years older |
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 46 | 46 | same as median |
Sorted by largest difference. Each median is the middle value across the covered Seattle-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | 46 | 0 | 59% | 52% |
| Puyallup 11.2 mi | 169 | 0 | 39% | 48% |
| Federal Way 13.6 mi | 23 | 1 | 40% | 45% |
| Auburn 17.8 mi | 49 | 0 | 33% | 39% |
| Kent 21.5 mi | 60 | 2 | 39% | 43% |
| Renton 26.8 mi | 66 | 2 | 39% | 46% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98499 | 40 | $1,198,889 | 1996 (25) | 19 of 37 |
| 98498 | 6 | $20,710 | 1997 (2) | 6 of 6 |
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 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 1997 | 8 |
| 1996 | 25 |
| 1994 | 1 |
| 1986 | 1 |
| 1981 | 1 |
| 1979 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 11 |
| February | 9 |
| March | 3 |
| October | 1 |
| November | 1 |
| December | 21 |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Lakewood's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 98499 | 51% | 98% |
| 98498 | 46% | 79% |
Common Lakewood water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Lakewood?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Lakewood-area ZIPs have 2 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Lakewood ZIP codes do these crews cover?
98499 and 98498[7], in Pierce County. Nearby pages: Puyallup (11.2 mi), Federal Way (13.6 mi), and Auburn (17.8 mi)[4].
Which Lakewood ZIP code has the most flood claims?
98499, with 40 NFIP claims and $1,198,889 paid[1].
A lot of Lakewood homes predate 1980 — what does that mean for plumbing fixtures and water heater work?
59% of Lakewood's housing units were built before 1980, 22.3% before 1960[2] — the 2nd-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.
I rent in Lakewood. Who arranges the repair?
52% of occupied Lakewood homes are rented[2], the 2nd-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.