How much flood risk does Ravalli County actually carry?
Ravalli County lands at the 52th 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 once every 1 years. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 356 homes FEMA counts inside Ravalli County's mapped flood zone, 51 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 14.3% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Ravalli 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.
Where Ravalli County ranks
Ravalli County sits at rank 1572 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1031 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 48,187 people live in Ravalli County, Montana, spread over 2,390.967 square miles.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Ravalli County
Across all of Ravalli County's 21,919 residential structures, 91 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 Ravalli 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.