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Boone County, Indiana

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
45th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$25Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Boone County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 57% of US counties. It ranks 45th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $25 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $360 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (162 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $644,000 on 98 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Boone County

$15.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$2.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow56.8
$15M
Cold waveLow59.9
$3M
TornadoLow39.6
$2M
Strong windModerate65.1
$2M
EarthquakeLow68.0
$1M
HailModerate73.4
$1M
Heat waveLow55.9
$914K
DroughtLow57.3
$446K
Winter weatherModerate73.3
$287K
LightningLow27.6
$186K
Ice stormLow48.7
$150K
HurricaneVery Low14.1
$6K
WildfireVery Low7.0
$4K
LandslideVery Low31.9
$670

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Boone County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Snowstorm3
Flood3
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 8, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 21, 2005Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 16
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 29, 1991Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 1977SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 14, 1965Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

Indiana also had 5 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 407 storm reports in Boone County since 1955, with 21 deaths and 108 injuries and about $33 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965.

34tornadoes
129hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
197damaging thunderstorm winds
40floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 11, 1965F4–80 / 20
Nov 26, 1965F3–0 / 0
Mar 11, 1962F3–0 / 0
May 14, 1995F2Lebanon5 / 0
Nov 26, 1965F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 11, 1965Tornado–$25M
May 14, 1995TornadoLebanon$2M
Apr 20, 2004TornadoJamestown$2M
Apr 19, 2011Thunderstorm WindPike$300K
Nov 26, 1965Tornado–$250K
Nov 26, 1965Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 18, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Boone County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (162 policies)
19.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$644,222paid on 98 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $504,666 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Boone County

$376,200median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1995median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
38%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.3%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 29,737 housing units.

Compare in Indiana

All 92 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Marion CountyHighInland flooding
Lake CountyHighInland flooding
Allen CountyModerateInland flooding
Hamilton CountyModerateInland flooding
St. Joseph CountyModerateInland flooding
Elkhart CountyModerateInland flooding
Tippecanoe CountyModerateInland flooding
Vanderburgh CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Marion CountyHigh18
Hamilton CountyModerate19
Hendricks CountyLow12
Montgomery CountyVery Low19
Clinton CountyVery Low14

Cities in Boone County

Common questions about Boone County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Boone County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Boone County, about $15.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $2.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Boone County had?

Boone County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Boone County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 45th highest of 92 in Indiana. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Boone County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Boone County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Boone County had?

NOAA records list 34 tornadoes in Boone County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965. The weather service has also logged 129 hail reports and 40 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.