Is Putnam County, IL in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Putnam County's flood hazard at the 19.6th 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 once every 2 years. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Mandatory flood insurance compliance in Putnam County
Out of 59 homes FEMA counts inside Putnam County's mapped flood zone, 8 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 13.6% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Putnam County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.3% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Putnam County compares nationally
Putnam County sits at rank 2570 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2765 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 5,633 people live in Putnam County, Illinois, spread over 160.097 square miles.
Your street may differ from Putnam County's average
Across all of Putnam County's 3,299 residential structures, 10 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 Putnam 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.