How much flood risk does Cass County actually carry?
Cass County lands at the 43.4th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively Low" territory — below the national norm for flood hazard — with the hazard driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about 1.3 times a year. County-wide, not parcel-specific: FEMA's real flood-zone map is queried live, never shipped as a download.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 80 homes FEMA counts inside Cass County's mapped flood zone, 16 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 20% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Cass County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.3% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Cass County compares nationally
Cass County sits at rank 1842 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2217 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Cass County, Iowa covers 564.258 square miles and counts roughly 13,024 residents.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Cass County
FEMA counts 6,277 residential structures in Cass County overall, 19 of them carrying some form of NFIP coverage — but a lender or insurer cares about one parcel, not that county total.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Cass County's numbers. The guide to what the Special Flood Hazard Area actually means explains why the mandatory-insurance rule exists and who it applies to.