Crawford County, Indiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Crawford County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 74% of US counties. It ranks 69th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $5.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $562 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 19 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.2 million on 136 claims here, including $677,000 for floods in 1990.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Crawford County
- 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.
- 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.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 40.9 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 60.5 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 51.2 | $390K | ||
| Earthquake | 53.4 | $224K | ||
| Cold wave | 25.0 | $222K | ||
| Heat wave | 43.8 | $187K | ||
| Hail | 30.4 | $82K | ||
| Lightning | 23.5 | $55K | ||
| Ice storm | 42.9 | $42K | ||
| Winter weather | 48.2 | $41K | ||
| Drought | 27.2 | $12K | ||
| Hurricane | 12.8 | $2K | ||
| Wildfire | 8.5 | $2K | ||
| Landslide | 53.9 | $1K |
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 high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Crawford County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
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 348 storm reports in Crawford County since 1956, with 1 death and 23 injuries and about $10.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on April 3, 1974.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | F5 | – | 1 / 0 |
| May 30, 2004 | F3 | Taswell | 11 / 1 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F2 | – | 9 / 0 |
| May 19, 2017 | EF1 | Sulphur Spgs | 0 / 0 |
| May 17, 1999 | F1 | Eckerty | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 2004 | Tornado | Taswell | $5M |
| Apr 29, 2017 | Flood | English | $4M |
| Jul 12, 2015 | Lightning | Sulphur | $300K |
| Jun 2, 1990 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| May 19, 2017 | Tornado | Sulphur Spgs | $250K |
| Jun 28, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Patoka Lake | $50K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 26, 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.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1888, 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm have passed within 65 miles of the center of Crawford County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with top winds near 55 mph about 61 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 61 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Crawford County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Crawford County
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; 5,914 housing units.
Compare in Indiana
All 92 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Marion County | Inland flooding | |
| Lake County | Inland flooding | |
| Allen County | Inland flooding | |
| Hamilton County | Inland flooding | |
| St. Joseph County | Inland flooding | |
| Elkhart County | Inland flooding | |
| Tippecanoe County | Inland flooding | |
| Vanderburgh County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Dubois County | 14 | |
| Harrison County | 20 | |
| Meade County, KY | 23 | |
| Washington County | 18 | |
| Orange County | 17 | |
| Perry County | 21 |
Common questions about Crawford County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Crawford County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Crawford County, about $3.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Crawford County had?
Crawford County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Crawford County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 69th 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 Crawford County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Crawford 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 Crawford County had?
NOAA records list 8 tornadoes in Crawford County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 90 hail reports and 60 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Crawford County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm passing within 65 miles of the center of Crawford County. The strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, with winds near 55 mph.
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.