How much flood risk does McLean County actually carry?
McLean County lands at the 45.8th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively Low" territory — below 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 2.3 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 McLean County
29.7% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in McLean County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 114 policies against 384 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in McLean County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 2.9% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How McLean County compares nationally
McLean County sits at rank 1766 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2483 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). McLean County, Kentucky is home to about 9,126 people across 252.525 square miles of land.
What to do next if you own or are buying in McLean County
Across all of McLean County's 4,025 residential structures, 117 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 McLean 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.