How much flood risk does Madison County actually carry?
Madison County lands at the 95.9th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively High" territory — well above 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 3.7 times a year. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Mandatory flood insurance compliance in Madison County
38.4% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Madison County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 1,764 policies against 4,593 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Madison County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 2.2% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Madison County compares nationally
Madison County sits at rank 140 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 181 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Madison County, Alabama covers 801.619 square miles and counts roughly 423,355 residents.
Checking a specific address in Madison County
3,053 of Madison County's 137,523 residential structures carry flood coverage of some kind, per FEMA's latest count — useful context, not a substitute for checking one parcel.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Madison 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.