How much flood risk does Newton County actually carry?
Newton County lands at the 19.3th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Very Low" territory — among the lowest flood hazard in the country — with the hazard driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about once every 1 years. County-wide, not parcel-specific: FEMA's real flood-zone map is queried live, never shipped as a download.
Mandatory flood insurance compliance in Newton County
15.1% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Newton County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 36 policies against 238 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Newton County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.7% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Newton County compares nationally
Newton County sits at rank 2577 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2154 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Newton County, Indiana covers 401.755 square miles and counts roughly 14,131 residents.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Newton County
Across all of Newton County's 6,783 residential structures, 48 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 Newton 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.