How much flood risk does Howard County actually carry?
Howard County lands at the 64.5th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively Low" territory — below the national norm for flood hazard — with the hazard driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about once every 1 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 348 homes FEMA counts inside Howard County's mapped flood zone, 86 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 24.7% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Howard 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.
Howard County against the rest of the country
Howard County sits at rank 1164 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 697 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 84,082 people live in Howard County, Indiana, spread over 293.074 square miles.
Checking a specific address in Howard County
Across all of Howard County's 34,693 residential structures, 142 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 Howard 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.