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Clinton County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
64th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$11Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Clinton 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 64th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $333 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 14 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). Only 44 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $372,000 on 26 claims here.

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

Top risks in Clinton County

$4.6 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.
$1.7 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.
$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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low34.9
$5M
TornadoLow56.7
$2M
Cold waveLow57.5
$1M
Strong windModerate68.6
$1M
HailModerate73.1
$718K
EarthquakeLow59.7
$499K
DroughtModerate64.9
$436K
Heat waveLow48.9
$396K
Winter weatherLow60.6
$103K
LightningLow25.0
$98K
Ice stormLow36.4
$49K
HurricaneVery Low25.4
$11K
WildfireVery Low5.5
$2K
LandslideVery Low30.1
$343

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 relatively 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 Clinton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm5
Flood3
Snowstorm2
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 15, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor 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
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Show all 14
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 29, 1991Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 14, 1965Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 290 storm reports in Clinton County since 1953, with 3 deaths and 54 injuries and about $24.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965.

19tornadoes
68hail reports, largest 4 inches
170damaging thunderstorm winds
31floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 11, 1965F4–0 / 0
Apr 11, 1965F4–34 / 0
Apr 9, 1953F3–6 / 1
Jun 25, 1978F3–0 / 0
Mar 31, 2023EF2Colfax0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 18, 2000HailJefferson$15M
Apr 9, 1953Tornado–$3M
Jul 17, 1996Thunderstorm WindFrankfort$2M
Jul 5, 2003Flash FloodFrankfort$1M
Mar 31, 2023TornadoColfax$700K
Mar 6, 1961Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 11, 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 Clinton County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (44 policies)
27.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$371,586paid on 26 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $201,127 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 Clinton County

$164,100median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1957median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
74%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.8%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; 13,517 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
Hamilton CountyModerate19
Tippecanoe CountyModerate12
Howard CountyLow13
Boone CountyLow16
Montgomery CountyVery Low19
Carroll CountyVery Low16
Tipton CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Clinton County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Clinton County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clinton County, about $4.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Clinton County had?

Clinton County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Clinton County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 64th 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 Clinton County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Clinton 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 Clinton County had?

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Clinton County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965. The weather service has also logged 68 hail reports and 31 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.