Is Washburn County, WI in a flood zone?
FEMA's National Risk Index puts Washburn County's flood hazard at the 32.5th 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 7 years. This describes the county, not any one street — FEMA only publishes exact parcel zones through a live map service.
Washburn County's flood-insurance compliance gap
7.7% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Washburn County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 28 policies against 365 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Washburn 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 Washburn County ranks
Washburn County sits at rank 2182 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1977 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 16,982 people live in Washburn County, Wisconsin, spread over 797.114 square miles.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Washburn County
Across all of Washburn County's 10,690 residential structures, 41 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 Washburn 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.