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Hancock County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
43rd of 92highest risk in Indiana
$23Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Hancock County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 56% of US counties. It ranks 43rd 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 $285 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 (186 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $995,000 on 93 claims here.

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

Top risks in Hancock County

$13.4 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.8 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.
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 505 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow57.1
$13M
TornadoModerate73.9
$5M
EarthquakeLow69.8
$1M
HailLow64.9
$731K
Strong windLow39.3
$664K
Cold waveLow27.1
$591K
Heat waveLow45.7
$490K
DroughtLow52.6
$283K
LightningLow33.0
$199K
Ice stormLow51.6
$149K
Winter weatherLow59.4
$144K
HurricaneVery Low14.6
$6K
WildfireVery Low4.9
$3K
LandslideVery Low27.2
$385

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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Hancock 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
Jun 8, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
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
Show all 17
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major 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 1951

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 320 storm reports in Hancock County since 1951, with 2 deaths and 55 injuries and about $62.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.

23tornadoes
85hail reports, largest 3.4 inches
185damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F4–11 / 0
Jun 11, 1998F4Greenfield1 / 0
May 14, 1972F4–1 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F3–23 / 1
Nov 26, 1965F3–3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 3, 1974Tornado–$25M
Apr 3, 1974Tornado–$25M
Apr 29, 2009FloodMohawk$3M
Mar 10, 1986Tornado–$3M
Sep 20, 2002TornadoMc Cordsville$2M
Jun 11, 1998TornadoGreenfield$1M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 16, 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 Hancock County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (186 policies)
20.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$995,406paid on 93 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $414,664 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 Hancock County

$274,800median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
40%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.4%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; 34,370 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
Marion CountyHigh18
Hamilton CountyModerate19
Madison CountyLow21
Henry CountyLow18
Shelby CountyLow13
Rush CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Hancock County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Hancock County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Hancock County, about $13.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Hancock County had?

Hancock 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 Hancock County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 43rd 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 Hancock County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Hancock 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 Hancock County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Hancock County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 85 hail reports and 19 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.