Is Hettinger County, ND in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Hettinger County's flood hazard at the 9.7th 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 once every 3 years. 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
11.8% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Hettinger County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 2 policies against 17 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Hettinger County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.2% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Hettinger County against the rest of the country
Hettinger County sits at rank 2856 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 3003 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Hettinger County, North Dakota is home to about 2,419 people across 1,132.239 square miles of land.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Hettinger County
FEMA counts 1,382 residential structures in Hettinger County overall, 3 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 Hettinger 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.