Flood Risk In Essex

1.1% of homes in Essex are in a Medium or High flood risk band, across 681,183 dwellings. It ranks 18 of 21 English counties.

Rivers and the sea Very low less than a 0.1% chance in any year

Surface water 116,825 addresses at risk that rivers and sea does not explain — a minimum, not a total

Groundwater Not mapped No national band is published for this source

Reservoirs Not mapped No national band is published for this source

The county band is the aggregate of its 12 districts: 3,294 homes at High, 4,067 at Medium, 11,900 at Low and 27,646 at Very Low — summing to the 46,907 homes at risk this page opens with.

Towns In Essex, Ranked By Flood Risk

1 Brightlingsea High 9.4% of homes at Medium or High
2 Jaywick Medium 7.7% of homes at Medium or High
3 Maldon Very low 4.4% of homes at Medium or High
4 Harwich Low 4% of homes at Medium or High
5 Walton-on-the-Naze Very low 4% of homes at Medium or High
6 Halstead (Braintree) Medium 3.4% of homes at Medium or High
7 Chelmsford Low 2.6% of homes at Medium or High
8 West Mersea High 1.9% of homes at Medium or High
9 Witham Medium 1.1% of homes at Medium or High
10 Waltham Abbey Very low 1.1% of homes at Medium or High
11 Burnham-on-Crouch Very low 1% of homes at Medium or High
12 Saffron Walden Low 1% of homes at Medium or High
13 Stansted Mountfitchet Low 0.9% of homes at Medium or High
14 Loughton Low 0.9% of homes at Medium or High
15 Great Dunmow Low 0.7% of homes at Medium or High
16 Wivenhoe Very low 0.7% of homes at Medium or High
17 Braintree Very low 0.6% of homes at Medium or High
18 Colchester Very low 0.6% of homes at Medium or High
19 Hullbridge Low 0.5% of homes at Medium or High
20 Rochford Very low 0.5% of homes at Medium or High
21 Billericay High 0.4% of homes at Medium or High
22 Brentwood High 0.4% of homes at Medium or High
23 Clacton-on-Sea Very low 0.4% of homes at Medium or High
24 Harlow Low 0.2% of homes at Medium or High
25 Great Wakering Low 0.2% of homes at Medium or High
26 Danbury High 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
27 Rayleigh Low 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
28 Wickford Low 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
29 Thundersley and South Benfleet Low 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
30 Tiptree Low 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
31 South Woodham Ferrers Very low 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
32 Runwell Low 0.1% of homes at Medium or High
33 Basildon Low 0% of homes at Medium or High
34 Ashingdon Very low 0% of homes at Medium or High
35 Berechurch Not mapped 0% of homes at Medium or High
36 Buckhurst Hill Low 0% of homes at Medium or High
37 Chigwell Low 0% of homes at Medium or High
38 Epping Not mapped 0% of homes at Medium or High
39 Galleywood Not mapped 0% of homes at Medium or High
40 Great Notley Not mapped 0% of homes at Medium or High

Ranked within England only. Each town's figure counts its own homes, so the shares are comparable with each other but not with towns in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Which Rivers Run Through Essex?

Rivers with a gauged station in one of the towns ranked above. Each river page carries every gauge on it and the live level at each.

River Roding levels 5 gauging stations on this river
River Stort levels 5 gauging stations on this river
River Chelmer levels 3 gauging stations on this river
River Wid levels 3 gauging stations on this river
Cobbins Brook levels 2 gauging stations on this river
River Crouch levels 2 gauging stations on this river
Canons Brook levels 1 gauging station on this river
River Can levels 1 gauging station on this river
Stansted Brook levels 1 gauging station on this river

How Does Essex Compare With Other English Counties?

Essex ranks 18 of 21 English counties for the share of homes in a Medium or High flood risk band. That is below the median county, at 1.8%. The comparison covers the 21 shire counties only — the 132 unitary authorities, including Bristol, York and Sheffield, have no county above them and so take no rank here.

A county figure is an aggregate of its districts, and districts differ sharply: a fenland district and an upland one in the same county can sit at opposite ends of the national ranking. Compare the towns above rather than the county total where it matters.

Share of homes in a Medium or High band, from the Environment Agency's national assessment. The method · The national picture