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Marshall County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
48th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$15Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Marshall County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 48th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $15 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $323 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 46 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.6 million on 190 claims here, including $727,000 for floods in 2018.

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

Top risks in Marshall County

$6.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.5 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow44.9
$6M
Cold waveModerate74.6
$3M
TornadoModerate66.3
$3M
LightningModerate75.6
$700K
Strong windLow46.7
$573K
HailLow66.0
$538K
EarthquakeVery Low53.5
$376K
Heat waveLow44.0
$318K
DroughtLow53.6
$215K
Winter weatherLow40.9
$54K
Ice stormLow27.5
$32K
HurricaneVery Low31.7
$19K
WildfireVery Low6.7
$2K
LandslideVery Low38.0
$652

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 high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood5
Snowstorm3
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

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
May 4, 2018Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 21, 2005Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2001SnowEmergency
Show all 15
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 20, 1982Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
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 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 324 storm reports in Marshall County since 1954, with 4 deaths and 53 injuries and about $30.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974.

33tornadoes
52hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
220damaging thunderstorm winds
13floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 3, 1974F4–0 / 0
Apr 11, 1965F3–28 / 3
Aug 12, 1956F3–1 / 0
Oct 18, 2007EF2Inwood4 / 0
Mar 20, 1976F2–10 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 11, 1965Tornado–$25M
Feb 20, 2018FloodTeegarden$1M
Oct 18, 2007TornadoInwood$600K
Apr 2, 2025TornadoRutland$600K
Aug 15, 2007TornadoArgos$500K
Mar 10, 2009FloodAyr$300K

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 Marshall County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (46 policies)
11.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.6 millionpaid on 190 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $726,640 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 Marshall County

$204,900median 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
6%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; 20,111 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
St. Joseph CountyModerate15
Elkhart CountyModerate11
Kosciusko CountyLow16
Starke CountyVery Low16
Fulton CountyVery Low16
Pulaski CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Marshall County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Marshall County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Marshall County, about $6.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $3 million.

How many federal disasters has Marshall County had?

Marshall County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Marshall County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 48th 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 Marshall County?

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

NOAA records list 33 tornadoes in Marshall County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. The weather service has also logged 52 hail reports and 13 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.