Is Clarke County, IA in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Clarke County's flood hazard at the 9.6th percentile nationally — among the lowest flood hazard in the country — driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about 1.8 times a year. That's a county-wide figure, not a per-address one — FEMA's parcel maps are a live lookup, not a bulk file.
Clarke County's flood-insurance compliance gap
Out of 6 homes FEMA counts inside Clarke County's mapped flood zone, 0 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 0% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Clarke County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Where Clarke County ranks
Clarke County sits at rank 2860 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2447 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Clarke County, Iowa is home to about 9,524 people across 431.111 square miles of land.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Clarke County
Across all of Clarke County's 4,591 residential structures, 0 carry an NFIP policy today — a county-wide count that still can't tell you one address's own mapped zone.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Clarke 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.