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Grant County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
21st of 92highest risk in Indiana
$23Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Grant County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 69% of US counties. It ranks 21st of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $23 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $346 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 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 (66 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.7 million on 139 claims here, including $538,000 for floods in 2013.

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

Top risks in Grant County

$12.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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
$5.4 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 640 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate73.4
$12M
TornadoModerate88.8
$5M
EarthquakeLow78.2
$1M
Heat waveLow76.6
$1M
Cold waveLow55.9
$971K
HailModerate84.2
$917K
Strong windModerate66.2
$707K
DroughtLow62.6
$270K
LightningLow48.7
$183K
Winter weatherModerate67.3
$97K
Ice stormLow43.4
$51K
HurricaneVery Low32.2
$14K
WildfireVery Low15.6
$4K
LandslideVery Low41.3
$587

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm8
Snowstorm4
Flood3
Tornado2
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
Apr 15, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 8, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 21, 2005Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 20
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2001SnowEmergency
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Sep 18, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1991Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 1977SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 14, 1965Tornadoes & Severe StormsMajor 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 370 storm reports in Grant County since 1956, with 10 deaths and 321 injuries and about $258 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965.

29tornadoes
112hail reports, largest 2.25 inches
212damaging thunderstorm winds
14floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 11, 1965F4–275 / 8
Mar 6, 1956F4–31 / 1
Dec 21, 1967F3–1 / 0
Mar 31, 2023EF3Gas City0 / 0
Apr 23, 1965F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 11, 1965Tornado–$250M
Mar 6, 1956Tornado–$3M
Aug 4, 1998Flash FloodMarion$2M
Jun 11, 1998TornadoFairmount$1M
Mar 1, 2011FloodStonecrest$1M
Jun 11, 1998TornadoSwayzee$500K

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 Grant County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (66 policies)
11.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.7 millionpaid on 139 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $538,261 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 Grant County

$122,300median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1963median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
73%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.8%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; 29,907 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
Delaware CountyLow17
Howard CountyLow13
Huntington CountyVery Low13
Miami CountyLow13
Wabash CountyVery Low12
Wells CountyVery Low13
Tipton CountyVery Low15

Cities in Grant County

Common questions about Grant County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Grant County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Grant County, about $12.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $5.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Grant County had?

Grant County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Grant County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 21st 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 Grant County?

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

NOAA records list 29 tornadoes in Grant County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 11, 1965. The weather service has also logged 112 hail reports and 14 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.