Is Kearney County, NE in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Kearney County's flood hazard at the 10.3th 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. That's a county-wide figure, not a per-address one — FEMA's parcel maps are a live lookup, not a bulk file.
Mandatory flood insurance compliance in Kearney County
10.3% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Kearney County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 33 policies against 320 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Kearney County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.8% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Kearney County compares nationally
Kearney County sits at rank 2838 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2674 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 6,749 people live in Kearney County, Nebraska, spread over 516.193 square miles.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Kearney County
FEMA counts 4,264 residential structures in Kearney County overall, 34 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 Kearney 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.