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Dearborn County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
40th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$19Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Dearborn County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 55% of US counties. It ranks 40th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $367 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 38 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.0 million on 113 claims here, including $1.0 million for floods in 1997.

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

Top risks in Dearborn County

$9.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.
$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 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 floodingLow52.6
$9M
TornadoModerate75.5
$4M
Cold waveLow63.6
$2M
Strong windModerate80.5
$2M
EarthquakeVery Low52.4
$401K
LightningLow55.9
$375K
Heat waveVery Low35.8
$242K
Ice stormLow55.7
$143K
HailVery Low27.3
$137K
LandslideModerate89.3
$69K
Winter weatherLow31.1
$41K
DroughtVery Low26.0
$19K
WildfireVery Low12.3
$5K
HurricaneVery Low8.3
$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 moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm10
Flood6
Tornado1
Snowstorm1
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
Jun 23, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, AndMajor 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
Show all 20
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 13, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 6, 1997Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 3, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Sep 18, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 4, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor 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 306 storm reports in Dearborn County since 1956, with 0 deaths and 21 injuries and about $5.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990.

18tornadoes
54hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
158damaging thunderstorm winds
73floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 2, 1990F4–21 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F4–0 / 0
Jun 17, 2026EF2Dillsboro Station0 / 0
Jun 2, 1990F2–0 / 0
Jun 18, 2021EF1Chesterville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$3M
Aug 16, 1993HailMoores Hill$1M
Jun 17, 2026TornadoDillsboro Station$300K
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$250K
Apr 9, 1999TornadoAurora$250K
Apr 20, 1996LightningDearborn$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 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 Dearborn County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (38 policies)
8.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2 millionpaid on 113 flood claims since 1978
1997costliest year, with $1 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 Dearborn County

$243,400median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
47%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.5%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; 21,098 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 County, OHHigh17
Butler County, OHModerate12
Boone County, KYLow11
Ripley CountyLow15
Franklin CountyVery Low22
Ohio CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Dearborn County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Dearborn County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Dearborn County, about $9.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Dearborn County had?

Dearborn County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Dearborn County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 40th 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 Dearborn County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Dearborn 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 Dearborn County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Dearborn County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990. The weather service has also logged 54 hail reports and 73 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.