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Basement Risk Index™ · Community Report

Basement Flood Risk in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan

West Bloomfield Township’s Basement Risk Index is 20/100 (MODERATE). 14% of homes here were built before 1960 (U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, updated Jul 2026), the biggest driver of basement-flooding risk in this region.

20BRI / 100
MODERATE RISK
Ranked #89 of 116 metro Detroit communities

Data confidence: C, modeled from housing-age measures; no local flood records integrated yet. How the score is built →

West Bloomfield Township, Michigan carries a Basement Risk Index of 20 out of 100, ranking #89 of 116 metro Detroit communities, far below the metro median of 37. West Bloomfield Township is one of the metro's newer communities, its housing peaking in the nineteen-seventies, well into the era of modern basement waterproofing, the main reason its Index sits toward the lower end of the range. Among West Bloomfield Township and its five nearest neighbors it carries the lowest modeled risk; its housing is mostly owner-occupied and higher-income for the region.

Water in your basement in West Bloomfield Township right now?

  1. Don’t enter standing water if the power is on. Cut it at the breaker only from a dry spot, or call an electrician.
  2. Photograph and video everything before you move or clean up anything, insurance and city claims both turn on this.
  3. Michigan law gives you about 45 days from discovery to file a written damage claim with your sewer authority. Start today.
  4. Once it is safe, call a licensed waterproofing contractor. Do not wait for it to dry on its own.

West Bloomfield Township basement risk at a glance

Basement Risk Index20 / 100 (MODERATE)
Metro rank#89 of 116
Homes built before 196014%
Peak building era1970s (24% of homes)
Median year built1980
Median home value$426,200
Median household income$125,453
Owner-occupied84%
Neighborhoods analyzed19

West Bloomfield Township's score is modeled from U.S. Census housing data; no municipal flood records are integrated yet. The Basement Risk Index is built from U.S. Census housing data and documented flood records. See our full methodology.

When West Bloomfield Township was built

West Bloomfield Township's housing is spread across several decades, peaking in the nineteen-seventies at about 24% of today's homes; relatively few of the stock, 14%, predates 1960. These are higher-value homes for the metro, and basements built before the 1960s typically lack the sump pumps, perimeter drain tile, and backwater valves that became standard later, leaving many on their original clay drain tiles.

2020 or later
1%
2010s
3%
2000s
8%
1990s
17%
1980s
21%
1970s
24%
1960s
12%
1950s
8%
1940s
2%
Before 1940
4%

How basement risk varies inside West Bloomfield Township

We score 19 individual neighborhoods inside West Bloomfield Township, and the pattern is skewed to the lower bands: 0 fall in the high or very high band, 2 are elevated, and 17 are moderate or lower. The number that matters is the one for your own block, not the city average.

0Very High
0High
2Elevated
4Moderate
13Lower

What this means for West Bloomfield Township homeowners

West Bloomfield Township scores in the moderate band, but moderate is not zero on clay soil. Prevention is cheap relative to a flooded basement, and a free check tells you what you are working with. Among its immediate neighbors, West Bloomfield Township scores lower than Orchard Lake Village, so the block next door is a better guide than any metro-wide average.

Why West Bloomfield Township homes face basement risk

Basement risk in West Bloomfield Township comes down to two things: how old its houses are and the clay beneath them. With relatively few of its homes, 14%, built before 1960 and the biggest share going up in the nineteen-seventies, many sit on original clay drain tile, and southeast Michigan's dense clay holds water against those foundations rather than letting it drain. If a backup has already put water on a floor here, Michigan law leaves a narrow window to file a written claim: how to file a sewer-backup claim in metro Detroit →.

FEMA disaster assistance after June 2021

119 West Bloomfield Township households registered for FEMA disaster assistance after the June 2021 floods (DR-4607-MI), and FEMA approved 38 of those claims for a combined $127,280, according to FEMA's OpenFEMA Housing Assistance data (pulled July 2026). That count is a floor, not a ceiling: it only includes households who applied to FEMA, not every home that took on water.

How West Bloomfield Township compares

West Bloomfield Township's Index of 20 ranks #89 of 116 communities region-wide and sits below the metro Detroit median of 37. It runs lower than its nearby neighbor Keego Harbor.

Does insurance cover it?

Often not. Standard Michigan homeowners policies commonly exclude sewer backup and groundwater unless you carry a specific endorsement. Before the next storm, it is worth reading our guide on whether insurance covers sewer backup in Michigan and checking your declarations page.

What to do about it

  1. Lower risk is not zero risk on the region's clay soil, a free prevention check takes about 30 minutes.
  2. Watch for symptoms after storms; what you see at your own home matters more than any average.
  3. Maintain gutters and grading, the two cheapest protections any Michigan home has.

Hiring in West Bloomfield Township?

We keep public-record profiles of metro Detroit basement waterproofing contractors, drawn from their own listings and Michigan licensing records. No ratings and no pay-to-play, just the record. Browse the contractor records →

Public records of contractors whose own listings say they serve or are based in West Bloomfield Township: Calculus Foundation Repair & Waterproofing · Michigan Basements · Perma Dry Michigan.

See West Bloomfield Township on the full metro Detroit Basement Risk Index map →

Concerned about this score?

We connect West Bloomfield Township homeowners with one licensed, insured basement waterproofing contractor for a free, no-obligation assessment. Your information goes to one local pro, never to lead lists.

Request your free assessment →

See West Bloomfield Township on the interactive metro map →
Read the published methodology →
Browse all 116 communities ranked →

Nearby communities

Orchard Lake Village · 22Keego Harbor · 35Sylvan Lake · 65Waterford Township · 39Pontiac · 56

Homeowner guides

Does insurance cover sewer backup?What to do when your basement floodsWhat waterproofing costs in metro DetroitHow to choose a waterproofing contractorSump pump costs in MichiganBackwater valves: cost and who needs oneThe 2021 metro Detroit floodsWhat keeps a Michigan basement dry

Frequently asked questions

Where does West Bloomfield Township rank for basement-flood risk among nearby communities like Orchard Lake Village and Keego Harbor?

West Bloomfield Township scores 20 out of 100, ranking #89 of 116 metro Detroit communities (MODERATE risk). Among its five nearest neighbors it carries the lowest risk: Orchard Lake Village scores 22 and Keego Harbor scores 35.

Are West Bloomfield Township's homes older than those in nearby Orchard Lake Village and Keego Harbor?

14% of West Bloomfield Township homes were built before 1960 (median year built 1980, with the largest share in the nineteen-seventies). In Orchard Lake Village, 19% predate 1960 (median year built 1982). Older housing means more basements plumbed before sump pumps, weeping tile, and backwater valves were standard.

How hard did the June 2021 floods hit West Bloomfield Township compared with Keego Harbor?

119 West Bloomfield Township households registered for FEMA disaster assistance after the June 2021 storms (disaster DR-4607-MI), and FEMA approved 38 of those claims for a combined $127,280. For comparison, Keego Harbor recorded 3. Those are only households that applied to FEMA, so the count is a floor, not a ceiling.