Home › Indiana › Delaware County

Delaware County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
15th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$34Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Delaware County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 76% of US counties. It ranks 15th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $34 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $300 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (323 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.8 million on 302 claims here, including $1.2 million for floods in 2026.

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

Top risks in Delaware County

$20.5 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.
$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.
$2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 610 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate82.5
$21M
TornadoHigh90.4
$7M
EarthquakeLow82.7
$2M
HailModerate85.8
$1M
Cold waveLow49.7
$885K
Strong windModerate65.8
$802K
LightningModerate75.6
$575K
Heat waveVery Low35.5
$172K
Winter weatherModerate74.6
$152K
Ice stormLow56.0
$104K
DroughtLow43.9
$88K
HurricaneVery Low31.8
$15K
WildfireVery Low21.8
$8K
LandslideVery Low33.5
$378

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 moderate and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm6
Flood4
Snowstorm3
Tornado1
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

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
Mar 12, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 21, 2005Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 11, 2005SnowEmergency
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 17
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Sep 18, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1991Severe Ice StormMajor 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 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 456 storm reports in Delaware County since 1954, with 2 deaths and 7 injuries and about $32.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.

25tornadoes
117hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
244damaging thunderstorm winds
60floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F4–0 / 0
Sep 24, 1961F3–1 / 0
Nov 26, 1965F3–0 / 0
Mar 14, 2024EF2Selma0 / 0
Sep 20, 2002F2Muncie0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 18, 2000HailCowan$15M
Jul 29, 2024Thunderstorm WindCross Rds$5M
Mar 14, 2024TornadoSelma$4M
Sep 20, 2002TornadoMuncie$3M
Jul 11, 2026FloodMuncie$750K
Jun 11, 2026Thunderstorm WindMuncie$400K

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 Delaware County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (323 policies)
24.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.8 millionpaid on 302 flood claims since 1978
2026costliest year, with $1.2 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 Delaware County

$139,400median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1967median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
70%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.7%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; 51,635 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
Madison CountyLow21
Grant CountyLow20
Henry CountyLow18
Randolph CountyVery Low18
Jay CountyVery Low14
Blackford CountyVery Low15

Cities in Delaware County

Common questions about Delaware County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Delaware County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Delaware County, about $20.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $7 million.

How many federal disasters has Delaware County had?

Delaware County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Delaware County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 15th 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 Delaware County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Delaware 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 Delaware County had?

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Delaware County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 117 hail reports and 60 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.