Flooding is a major natural hazard threatening the socio-economic sustainability of rural communities. Rural flood vulnerability is shaped not only by hazard exposure but also by socio-economic conditions and the capacities to cope with, adapt to, and recover from flood events. This study examines the relationships among socio-economic drivers, adaptive capacities, and flood-vulnerability outcomes in rural communities of Eastern Alamut District, Qazvin Province, Iran. The research was applied in purpose and descriptive-analytical in method. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 380 households across 32 flood-prone villages selected using purposive sampling and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) in SmartPLS. The model comprised 40 indicators representing socio-economic drivers, coping, adaptation and recovery capacities, and flood-vulnerability outcomes. The results revealed a strong and statistically significant relationship between socio-economic drivers—including economic and livelihood conditions, social capital, and risk perception and awareness—and adaptive capacities (β = 0.845). Socio-economic drivers were also strongly associated with flood-vulnerability outcomes (β = 0.803), while adaptive capacities had a positive and statistically significant, but comparatively weaker, relationship with these outcomes (β = 0.123). The model explained 89.4% of the variance in adaptive capacities and 84.7% in flood-vulnerability outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of addressing underlying socio-economic conditions alongside capacity-building measures in rural flood risk management. Policy priorities include livelihood diversification, strengthening social networks, improving risk communication, and expanding household and community recovery support through locally tailored interventions.