Is Lawrence County, SD in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Lawrence County's flood hazard at the 57.1th 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 once every 1 years. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Mandatory flood insurance compliance in Lawrence County
Out of 644 homes FEMA counts inside Lawrence County's mapped flood zone, 56 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 8.7% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Lawrence County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.6% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Lawrence County against the rest of the country
Lawrence County sits at rank 1413 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1479 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 28,809 people live in Lawrence County, South Dakota, spread over 800.053 square miles.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Lawrence County
FEMA counts 13,418 residential structures in Lawrence County overall, 78 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 Lawrence 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.