Is Marion County, MS in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Marion County's flood hazard at the 48.1th 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 2.1 times a year. 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 754 homes FEMA counts inside Marion County's mapped flood zone, 105 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 13.9% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Marion County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 1.3% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Marion County against the rest of the country
Marion County sits at rank 1695 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1649 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Marion County, Mississippi is home to about 24,008 people across 542.326 square miles of land.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Marion County
Across all of Marion County's 10,785 residential structures, 141 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 Marion 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.