Is McCreary County, KY in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts McCreary County's flood hazard at the 24.3th 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 1.2 times a year. That's a county-wide figure, not a per-address one — FEMA's parcel maps are a live lookup, not a bulk file.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 33 homes FEMA counts inside McCreary County's mapped flood zone, 1 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 3% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in McCreary County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Where McCreary County ranks
McCreary County sits at rank 2421 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1987 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). McCreary County, Kentucky covers 426.709 square miles and counts roughly 16,824 residents.
Your street may differ from McCreary County's average
Across all of McCreary County's 7,983 residential structures, 2 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 McCreary 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.