Every waterfront address gets a single number from 0 to 100 — a clear read on how good the waterfront really is, built on official government data and the details only an owner can confirm.
You enter a property address and, optionally, a few details about the dock and water. WaterScore pulls live data from public GIS services, evaluates seven factors that determine real waterfront quality, and returns a 0–100 score with a full breakdown of how it got there.
The address is matched to its exact parcel using U.S. Census and county property data — never an approximation when a real parcel exists.
Seven factors are scored from FEMA, NOAA, county GIS, and USGS sources, plus any owner-provided depth, dock, and seawall details.
The factors add up to a 0–100 WaterScore, each shown with its points and where the data came from — nothing hidden.
Waterfront isn't one thing. A deep-water estate on an open bay and a home on a shallow dead-end canal are both "waterfront" — the score tells them apart.
A WaterScore is the sum of seven factors, each capped at its own maximum. Together they answer the questions a serious waterfront buyer actually asks.
We score the binding constraint — whichever is more limiting, the water depth or the dock length. A 100-foot dock in three feet of water still only floats a small boat, so the score reflects the boat you can truly keep here, not the dock you advertise. Owners who certify a depth measured at low tide earn a small bonus.
A major factor — because a seawall is the most expensive thing on a waterfront property to replace. A newer, code-compliant seawall signals structural integrity and storm resilience, and the absence of a looming six-figure repair. Older or unknown seawalls carry that risk.
Open bay and ocean frontage rank highest; wide canals with bay access sit in the middle; narrow, dead-end, or freshwater canals rank lowest. Water type drives navigability, views, and how freely a boat can come and go.
A fixed low bridge is a hard ceiling on vessel size. Beautiful deep-water dockage means little if a low fixed bridge sits between it and the ocean. Open-water access with no bridge scores highest; drawbridges and high fixed spans score well; low fixed bridges score lowest.
Based on the property's FEMA flood-zone designation, with lower-risk zones scoring higher. Storm-surge zone, ground elevation, and sea-level-rise exposure are shown as added context alongside the score.
Rewards proximity to what makes a waterfront address desirable to live on: waterfront dining, premium grocers, yacht and sailing clubs, waterfront parks, and public boat ramps.
A nearby marina means fuel, services, and transient dockage within easy reach. Scored on its own — separately from lifestyle — so the same amenity is never counted twice.
WaterScore always scores the boat the water can actually float — never the dock you can merely build. The most limiting factor wins.
WaterScore doesn't guess. Wherever possible, each factor is drawn from an authoritative, publicly maintained source — the same data used by agencies, surveyors, and planners.
Not every data point carries the same certainty. So every factor in your report is tagged with how it was sourced — you always know whether a number is measured, official, or estimated.