Is Fayette County, TN in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Fayette County's flood hazard at the 51.6th 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 1.1 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 Fayette County
25.8% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Fayette County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 23 policies against 89 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Fayette County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.4% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Fayette County compares nationally
Fayette County sits at rank 1586 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1106 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Fayette County, Tennessee covers 704.124 square miles and counts roughly 44,476 residents.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Fayette County
FEMA counts 18,319 residential structures in Fayette County overall, 75 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 Fayette 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.