How much flood risk does Washington County actually carry?
Washington County lands at the 18.9th 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 2 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
4.9% of the homes FEMA requires to carry flood insurance in Washington County — those inside the mapped Special Flood Hazard Area — actually have a policy in force: 4 policies against 82 mandated structures, which means a meaningful share of legally-required coverage simply isn't there. Across all residential structures in Washington County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.1% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
How Washington County compares nationally
Washington County sits at rank 2591 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 2769 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). About 5,572 people live in Washington County, Kansas, spread over 894.759 square miles.
Your street may differ from Washington County's average
4 of Washington County's 4,804 residential structures carry flood coverage of some kind, per FEMA's latest count — useful context, not a substitute for checking one parcel.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Washington 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.