Home › Indiana › Decatur County

Decatur County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
73rd of 92highest risk in Indiana
$12Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Decatur County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 77% of US counties. It ranks 73rd of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $463 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 24 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $830,000 on 30 claims here.

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

Top risks in Decatur County

$6.5 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.
$2.7 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.
$710,857 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow36.5
$7M
TornadoLow59.5
$3M
Strong windLow44.2
$711K
EarthquakeVery Low59.2
$662K
LightningModerate62.2
$553K
Cold waveLow26.2
$534K
HailLow34.2
$215K
DroughtLow42.7
$132K
Heat waveVery Low20.8
$102K
Ice stormLow43.1
$95K
Winter weatherVery Low14.1
$18K
HurricaneVery Low18.9
$8K
WildfireVery Low6.8
$3K
LandslideVery Low55.5
$3K

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 Decatur County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm5
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
Jul 22, 2025Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 14
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 263 storm reports in Decatur County since 1958, with 4 deaths and 17 injuries and about $5.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.

25tornadoes
63hail reports, largest 4 inches
140damaging thunderstorm winds
26floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F4–7 / 2
Nov 26, 1965F3–0 / 0
Nov 22, 1992F2–0 / 0
Jun 19, 1973F2–0 / 0
Apr 20, 1996F1Greensburg0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 20, 1996TornadoGreensburg$1M
May 25, 2011TornadoGreensburg Arpt$500K
Feb 5, 2008Thunderstorm WindLetts$260K
Nov 26, 1965Tornado–$250K
Sep 26, 1976Tornado–$250K
Nov 22, 1992Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Decatur County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (24 policies)
9.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$829,733paid on 30 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $380,907 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 Decatur County

$199,100median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1973median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
59%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3%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; 11,685 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
Bartholomew CountyLow11
Shelby CountyLow13
Ripley CountyLow15
Jennings CountyVery Low16
Franklin CountyVery Low22
Rush CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Decatur County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Decatur County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Decatur County, about $6.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Decatur County had?

Decatur County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Decatur County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 73rd 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 Decatur County?

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

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Decatur County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 63 hail reports and 26 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.