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Knox County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
30th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$19Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Knox County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 55% of US counties. It ranks 30th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $19 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $519 per resident. Since 1979 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 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 (59 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.0 million on 81 claims here.

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

Top risks in Knox County

$7.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 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.

Earthquake

Moderate
$5.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 155 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$1.9 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow53.4
$7M
EarthquakeModerate90.5
$6M
TornadoLow61.0
$2M
DroughtModerate80.9
$1M
Heat waveLow62.5
$667K
Strong windModerate53.4
$623K
LightningModerate69.6
$502K
Cold waveLow25.1
$336K
HailLow51.4
$284K
Winter weatherModerate72.2
$147K
Ice stormLow55.2
$110K
HurricaneVery Low26.4
$11K
LandslideLow66.8
$4K
WildfireVery Low8.2
$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 relatively 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 Knox County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Flood4
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
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
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 13, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 16
Jul 22, 1998Severe Storms and Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 3, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 4, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 31, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor 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 567 storm reports in Knox County since 1954, with 1 death and 24 injuries and about $52.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990.

28tornadoes
99hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
295damaging thunderstorm winds
139floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 2, 1990F4–0 / 0
Jun 2, 1990F4–0 / 0
Jan 7, 1989F4–5 / 0
Feb 10, 1959F3–0 / 0
Apr 19, 1963F2–12 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 4, 2008FloodVincennes$20M
Jun 5, 2008FloodWheatland$18M
Apr 19, 1963Tornado–$3M
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$3M
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$3M
Sep 20, 2002TornadoMonroe City$1M

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 Knox County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (59 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1 millionpaid on 81 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $260,558 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 Knox County

$137,700median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1962median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
70%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.5%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; 16,974 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
Daviess CountyLow16
Gibson CountyLow20
Greene CountyVery Low17
Sullivan CountyVery Low17
Crawford County, ILVery Low7
Lawrence County, ILLow7
Pike CountyVery Low20
Wabash County, ILVery Low8

Common questions about Knox County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Knox County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Knox County, about $7.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $5.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Knox County had?

Knox County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1979, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Knox County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 30th 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 Knox County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Knox 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 Knox County had?

NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Knox County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990. The weather service has also logged 99 hail reports and 139 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.