Water damage restoration · Renton, Washington
Water damage restoration in Renton, WA
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Renton-area ZIPs: 66 flood claims since 1979[1]; 39% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Renton, in King County — ZIPs 98057, 98056, 98055, 98059, 98058, counts 104,975 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Renton water damage snapshot: the key figures
- Population (2025 est.)
- 104,975[3]-1.8% since 2020
- County
- King[3]
- Land area
- 23.5 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 66 since 1979[1]$860,520 paid across 48 claims · ZIP 98057, 98056, 98055, 98059, 98058
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 2[5]2016–2025 · latest Dec 5, 2023
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, King Co.
- 11[6]of 18 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 39%[2]the 7th-lowest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 46%[2]2020–2024
What Renton's numbers say about water damage
Renton is one of the most established suburbs tracked here — 104,975 people (2025 estimate), down just 1.8% since 2020[3]. It covers 23.5 square miles (4,459 residents per square mile, the 7th densest), sits entirely in King County, in ZIP codes 98057, 98056, 98055, 98059, 98058[4].
Renton mixes 11% of homes built since 2010 and 39% 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.
5 ZIP codes cover Renton — 98057 (26% of the city's land), 98056 (23% of the city's land), 98055 (19% of the city's land), 98059 (16% of the city's land), 98058 (16% of the city's land)[7].
The closest tracked neighbours are Kent (6.2 mi S), Issaquah (8.2 mi NE) and Bellevue (8.4 mi N)[4].
66 flood-insurance claims have come from Renton-area ZIP codes (98057, 98056, 98055, 98059, 98058) since 1979, and $860,520 has been paid on them (about $17,928 per paid claim)[1]. 2009 was the worst year, with 13 claims. That is the 4th-most of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Kent (60), Issaquah (243), and Bellevue (77). Outside water is a real part of the picture here. Of the 65 claims rated in a flood zone, 38 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 27 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Renton-area flood claims cluster in January (16), February (11), and November (18) — 45 of 66 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Renton, weather observers filed 2 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: Kent (2), Issaquah (1), and Bellevue (3).
39% of Renton's 42,551 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 7th-lowest share of the 15 Seattle-area suburbs we cover (Kent (39%), Issaquah (17%), and Bellevue (47%)). Expect a mix of original and replaced plumbing.
46% of Renton households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
Get water damage help in Renton
Requests go to Water damage restoration contractors serving the Renton area — ZIP codes 98057, 98056, 98055, 98059, 98058.
Before you pick up the phone: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Renton homes by building type
47%[2] of Renton's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 40%, the 6th-lowest 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: 5,049 of 42,551 housing units[2].
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 21,605 | 50.8% | ±854 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 3,053 | 7.2% | ±393 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 835 | 2.0% | ±292 |
| 3–4 units | 2,097 | 4.9% | ±389 |
| 5–9 units | 3,228 | 7.6% | ±573 |
| 10–19 units | 2,999 | 7.0% | ±570 |
| 20–49 units | 2,876 | 6.8% | ±560 |
| 50 or more units | 5,049 | 11.9% | ±627 |
| Mobile home | 780 | 1.8% | ±227 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 29 | 0.1% | ±35 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
Renton by the numbers
| Measure | Renton | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 2 | 1 | 1 more |
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 66 | 46 | 20 more |
| Renter-occupied | 46% | 45% | 1 pts higher |
| Median home value | $672,600 | $686,900 | 2% lower |
| Owner-occupied | 54% | 55% | 1 pts lower |
| Built before 1980 | 39% | 39% | about the same |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 | 3 years newer |
Largest differences first. Medians are the middle value across the covered Seattle-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renton | 66 | 2 | 39% | 46% |
| Kent 6.2 mi | 60 | 2 | 39% | 43% |
| Issaquah 8.2 mi | 243 | 1 | 17% | 43% |
| Bellevue 8.4 mi | 77 | 3 | 47% | 48% |
| Sammamish 10.8 mi | 27 | 1 | 13% | 17% |
| Auburn 12.1 mi | 49 | 0 | 33% | 39% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98057 | 1 | $0 | 2012 (1) | 1 of 1 |
| 98056 | 2 | $0 | 1986 (1) | 2 of 2 |
| 98055 | 5 | $14,335 | 2009 (2) | 4 of 5 |
| 98059 | 4 | $40,265 | 1990 (1) | 4 of 4 |
| 98058 | 54 | $805,920 | 2009 (11) | 16 of 53 |
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 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2009 | 13 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 16 |
| February | 11 |
| March | 2 |
| April | 2 |
| August | 3 |
| September | 1 |
| October | 2 |
| November | 18 |
| December | 11 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2023 | Heavy Rain | 5.3 mi |
| Jan 6, 2022 | Heavy Rain | 4.8 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Renton's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 98057 | 26% | 100% |
| 98056 | 23% | 71% |
| 98055 | 19% | 100% |
| 98059 | 16% | 23% |
| 98058 | 16% | 20% |
Common Renton water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Renton?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Renton-area ZIPs have 12 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Renton ZIP codes do these crews cover?
98057, 98056, 98055, 98059, and 98058[7], in King County. Nearby pages: Kent (6.2 mi), Issaquah (8.2 mi), and Bellevue (8.4 mi)[4].
Which Renton ZIP code has the most flood claims?
98058, with 54 NFIP claims and $805,920 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Renton?
Dec 5, 2023: a heavy rain report 5.3 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.