Is Clay County, NC in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Clay County's flood hazard at the 43.8th percentile nationally — below the national norm for flood hazard — driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about once every 4 years. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 271 homes FEMA counts inside Clay County's mapped flood zone, 117 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 43.2% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Clay County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 2% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Clay County compares nationally
Clay County sits at rank 1828 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2280 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Clay County, North Carolina covers 215.004 square miles and counts roughly 12,042 residents.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Clay County
Across all of Clay County's 6,733 residential structures, 134 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 Clay 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.