Is Mitchell County, IA in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Mitchell County's flood hazard at the 36.2th 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 1.1 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
5.8% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Mitchell County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 5 policies against 87 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Mitchell County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.2% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Mitchell County against the rest of the country
Mitchell County sits at rank 2069 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2370 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Mitchell County, Iowa covers 469.256 square miles and counts roughly 10,632 residents.
Checking a specific address in Mitchell County
FEMA counts 5,264 residential structures in Mitchell County overall, 9 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 Mitchell 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.