How much flood risk does Kitsap County actually carry?
Kitsap County lands at the 79.4th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively Moderate" territory — a middling flood hazard by national standards — with the hazard split between inland river flooding (about once every 28 years) and coastal storm surge (about 3.2 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 Kitsap County
39.2% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Kitsap County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 442 policies against 1,128 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Kitsap 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.
Where Kitsap County ranks
Kitsap County sits at rank 676 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 259 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 281,420 people live in Kitsap County, Washington, spread over 395.087 square miles.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Kitsap County
FEMA counts 98,685 residential structures in Kitsap County overall, 795 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 Kitsap County's numbers. Because storm surge plays a real role here, the guide to coastal vs. inland flood hazard is worth reading alongside this page.