How much flood risk does Preston County actually carry?
Preston County lands at the 59.6th 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 times a year. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Preston County's flood-insurance compliance gap
10.4% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Preston County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 47 policies against 450 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Preston County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.4% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Preston County against the rest of the country
Preston County sits at rank 1329 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1338 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 34,055 people live in Preston County, West Virginia, spread over 648.814 square miles.
Your street may differ from Preston County's average
FEMA counts 13,506 residential structures in Preston County overall, 55 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 Preston 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.