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Daviess County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
28th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$15Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Daviess County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 28th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $452 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 15 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $213,000 on 11 claims here.

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

Top risks in Daviess County

$7.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times 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.
$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 230 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Tornado

Moderate
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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 floodingLow62.2
$7M
EarthquakeLow88.6
$3M
TornadoModerate72.1
$2M
Strong windModerate66.3
$642K
Heat waveLow66.3
$573K
DroughtModerate75.2
$519K
Cold waveLow31.7
$339K
HailLow53.8
$228K
LightningLow53.8
$199K
Winter weatherModerate76.2
$129K
Ice stormModerate60.2
$101K
HurricaneVery Low30.3
$11K
WildfireVery Low22.4
$7K
LandslideLow70.4
$5K

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 high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm9
Flood4
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Jun 23, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, AndMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 23, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 8, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 21, 2005Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2005SnowEmergency
Sep 1, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Show all 16
Jul 3, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 4, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 31, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 30, 1968FloodingMajor disaster

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 318 storm reports in Daviess County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 39 injuries and about $69.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990.

27tornadoes
60hail reports, largest 3 inches
155damaging thunderstorm winds
76floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 2, 1990F4–6 / 0
Nov 15, 2005F3Washington31 / 0
Jun 2, 1990F3–0 / 0
May 6, 1971F2–0 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF2Maysville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 5, 2008FloodPlainville$50M
Nov 15, 2005TornadoWashington$12M
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$3M
Mar 15, 2025TornadoHudsonville$800K
May 19, 2022HailElnora$446K
Jun 9, 2008Flash FloodElnora$400K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 21, 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 Daviess County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (15 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$213,493paid on 11 flood claims since 1978
2022costliest year, with $100,000 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 Daviess County

$197,200median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1975median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
57%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.4%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; 12,887 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
Dubois CountyLow14
Knox CountyLow16
Greene CountyVery Low17
Pike CountyVery Low20
Martin CountyVery Low14

Common questions about Daviess County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Daviess County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Daviess County, about $7.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $3.2 million.

How many federal disasters has Daviess County had?

Daviess County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Daviess County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 28th 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 Daviess County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Daviess 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 Daviess County had?

NOAA records list 27 tornadoes in Daviess County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990. The weather service has also logged 60 hail reports and 76 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.