How much flood risk does Washington County actually carry?
Washington County lands at the 74.2th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively Moderate" territory — a middling flood hazard by national standards — with the hazard driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about 1.3 times a year. County-wide, not parcel-specific: FEMA's real flood-zone map is queried live, never shipped as a download.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 935 homes FEMA counts inside Washington County's mapped flood zone, 144 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 15.4% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Washington County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.9% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Where Washington County ranks
Washington County sits at rank 848 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 959 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Washington County, Oklahoma covers 415.524 square miles and counts roughly 54,060 residents.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Washington County
181 of Washington County's 20,793 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.