Home › Indiana › Carroll County

Carroll County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
65th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$12Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 53homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Carroll County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 70% of US counties. It ranks 65th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $607 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (209 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $17 million on 501 claims here, including $8.6 million for floods in 2008.

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

Top risks in Carroll County

$7.8 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.
$1.4 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.
$1.2 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 floodingLow47.2
$8M
Cold waveLow53.0
$1M
TornadoLow42.6
$1M
Strong windLow39.2
$521K
HailLow53.4
$392K
DroughtLow59.9
$355K
EarthquakeVery Low47.1
$303K
Heat waveVery Low36.3
$244K
LightningVery Low14.6
$63K
Winter weatherLow35.1
$47K
Ice stormVery Low18.6
$18K
HurricaneVery Low30.0
$18K
WildfireVery Low7.2
$3K
LandslideVery Low48.2
$2K

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm5
Snowstorm4
Flood4
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Aug 25, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 15, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 4, 2018Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor 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
Show all 16
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2001SnowEmergency
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Mar 29, 1991Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 1977SnowstormsEmergency

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 248 storm reports in Carroll County since 1956, with 2 deaths and 5 injuries and about $25 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 20, 1976.

22tornadoes
52hail reports, largest 2 inches
141damaging thunderstorm winds
29floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 20, 1976F4–2 / 0
Apr 27, 1994F4Americus0 / 0
Apr 29, 1963F3–0 / 0
Mar 6, 1956F2–0 / 0
Sep 14, 1965F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 8, 2008FloodYoeman$12M
Jul 5, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$7M
Mar 20, 1976Tornado–$3M
Feb 5, 2008FloodYoeman$750K
Feb 5, 2008FloodPittsburg$500K
Jun 6, 2010TornadoYoeman$405K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 16, 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 Carroll County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (209 policies)
20.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$17.3 millionpaid on 501 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $8.6 million 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 Carroll County

$180,900median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1966median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
69%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.8%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; 9,559 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
Tippecanoe CountyModerate12
Howard CountyLow13
Cass CountyLow15
Clinton CountyVery Low14
White CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Carroll County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Carroll County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Carroll County, about $7.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Carroll County had?

Carroll County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Carroll County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 65th 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 Carroll County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Carroll 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 Carroll County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Carroll County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 20, 1976. The weather service has also logged 52 hail reports and 29 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.