Is Decatur County, TN in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Decatur County's flood hazard at the 33.5th 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 1.5 times a year. County-wide, not parcel-specific: FEMA's real flood-zone map is queried live, never shipped as a download.
Mandatory flood insurance compliance in Decatur County
17.2% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Decatur County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 135 policies against 787 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Decatur County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 1.9% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Where Decatur County ranks
Decatur County sits at rank 2150 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2297 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 11,800 people live in Decatur County, Tennessee, spread over 333.879 square miles.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Decatur County
FEMA counts 7,209 residential structures in Decatur County overall, 139 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 Decatur 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.