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Madison County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
13th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$35Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Madison County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 77% of US counties. It ranks 13th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $35 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $268 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 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 (206 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.7 million on 305 claims here.

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

Top risks in Madison 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$4.9 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate82.6
$20M
TornadoModerate85.3
$5M
Cold waveModerate78.2
$3M
EarthquakeLow81.8
$2M
Strong windHigh86.5
$2M
HailModerate84.7
$1M
Heat waveLow74.1
$1M
DroughtLow61.5
$291K
LightningLow56.4
$273K
Winter weatherModerate76.9
$168K
Ice stormLow58.8
$119K
HurricaneVery Low25.7
$9K
WildfireVery Low19.2
$7K
LandslideVery Low40.4
$631

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm9
Flood5
Snowstorm4
Severe Ice Storm1
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
Apr 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor 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
Jan 11, 2005SnowEmergency
Show all 21
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Jul 22, 1998Severe Storms and Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
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
Feb 2, 1977SnowstormsEmergency

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 534 storm reports in Madison County since 1953, with 1 death and 15 injuries and about $42.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 14, 1972.

32tornadoes
148hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
297damaging thunderstorm winds
47floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 14, 1972F4–1 / 0
Apr 9, 1953F3–0 / 0
Sep 20, 2002F2Pendleton2 / 0
Apr 2, 2025EF2Moonsville0 / 0
Mar 28, 1954F2–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 18, 2000HailAnderson$15M
Sep 20, 2002TornadoPendleton$8M
Apr 2, 2025TornadoMoonsville$3M
Apr 9, 1953Tornado–$3M
Mar 28, 1954Tornado–$3M
Sep 1, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$3M

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 Madison County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (206 policies)
14%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.7 millionpaid on 305 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $624,705 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 Madison County

$161,300median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1965median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
70%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.4%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; 59,301 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
Hamilton CountyModerate19
Delaware CountyLow17
Hancock CountyLow17
Grant CountyLow20
Henry CountyLow18
Tipton CountyVery Low15

Cities in Madison County

Common questions about Madison County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Madison County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Madison County, about $20.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.9 million.

How many federal disasters has Madison County had?

Madison County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Madison County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 13th 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 Madison County?

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

NOAA records list 32 tornadoes in Madison County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 14, 1972. The weather service has also logged 148 hail reports and 47 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.