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Marion County, Indiana

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

Relatively High overall risk
1st of 92highest risk in Indiana
$285Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: TheWxResearcher, CC0

Marion County, Indiana has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 98% of US counties. It ranks 1st of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $285 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $291 per resident. Since 1991 it has been included in 18 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 (2,066 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $19 million on 2,309 claims here.

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

Top risks in Marion County

$163 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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

Very High
$39.4 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.
$27.3 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 floodingHigh98.3
$163M
TornadoVery High99.0
$39M
Cold waveHigh98.7
$27M
EarthquakeModerate96.4
$22M
Heat waveHigh98.7
$20M
Strong windVery High98.7
$7M
LightningVery High96.9
$2M
HailModerate93.6
$2M
Ice stormHigh85.3
$610K
Winter weatherHigh93.7
$570K
DroughtLow37.0
$50K
HurricaneVery Low34.1
$19K
WildfireVery Low22.3
$9K
LandslideLow65.9
$4K

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 relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm9
Flood4
Snowstorm3
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
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
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 18
Sep 5, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 13, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Sep 18, 1992Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 1,074 storm reports in Marion County since 1952, with 11 deaths and 276 injuries and about $122 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 14, 1972.

47tornadoes
375hail reports, largest 3 inches
519damaging thunderstorm winds
104floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 14, 1972F4–17 / 0
Apr 22, 1963F3–20 / 0
Mar 10, 1986F3–10 / 0
Nov 22, 1992F3–0 / 0
Jun 11, 1998F3Cumberland3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Sep 20, 2002TornadoSouthport$40M
May 30, 2008TornadoLawrence$29M
May 30, 2004TornadoSunshine Gardens$19M
Sep 1, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$5M
Apr 22, 1963Tornado–$3M
Jul 4, 1973Tornado–$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 Marion County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (2,066 policies)
16%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$18.9 millionpaid on 2,309 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $3.1 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 Marion County

$224,000median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1973median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
59%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.5%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; 441,040 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
Hendricks CountyLow12
Johnson CountyLow14
Hancock CountyLow17
Morgan CountyLow18
Boone CountyLow16
Shelby CountyLow13

Cities in Marion County

Common questions about Marion County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marion County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Marion County, about $163 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $39.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Marion County had?

Marion County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1991, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Marion County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 1st 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 Marion County?

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

NOAA records list 47 tornadoes in Marion County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 14, 1972. The weather service has also logged 375 hail reports and 104 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.