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Morgan County, Indiana

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

Relatively Low overall risk
25th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$27Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Morgan County, Indiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 64% of US counties. It ranks 25th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $27 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $370 per resident. Since 1991 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 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 (218 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $8.7 million on 231 claims here, including $6.9 million for floods in 2008.

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

Top risks in Morgan County

$15.3 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 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.
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
  • Have trees near the house checked.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow70.9
$15M
TornadoModerate77.7
$4M
Strong windHigh84.5
$2M
Cold waveLow62.3
$2M
EarthquakeLow72.0
$1M
HailModerate79.7
$975K
Heat waveLow63.3
$762K
LightningLow47.9
$245K
Winter weatherModerate80.2
$240K
DroughtLow53.7
$214K
Ice stormLow55.4
$123K
LandslideLow84.8
$33K
WildfireVery Low23.1
$11K
HurricaneVery Low9.9
$2K

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 Morgan County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm9
Flood5
Snowstorm2
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 15, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor 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
Show all 18
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
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Sep 9, 1993Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe 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 433 storm reports in Morgan County since 1954, with 1 death and 48 injuries and about $215 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on September 20, 2002 near Martinsville.

26tornadoes
136hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
198damaging thunderstorm winds
59floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Sep 20, 2002F3Martinsville28 / 0
Mar 10, 1986F3–9 / 0
Nov 22, 1992F3–0 / 0
Mar 31, 2023EF2Martinsville Arpt0 / 0
Feb 25, 1956F2–3 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 4, 2008FloodCenterton$180M
Sep 20, 2002TornadoMartinsville$15M
Mar 31, 2023TornadoMartinsville Arpt$8M
Mar 10, 1986Tornado–$3M
Nov 22, 1992Tornado–$3M
Apr 19, 1996TornadoMooresville$2M

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 Morgan County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (218 policies)
27.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$8.7 millionpaid on 231 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $6.9 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 Morgan County

$237,600median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1981median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
49%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.7%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; 30,046 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
Hendricks CountyLow12
Johnson CountyLow14
Monroe CountyLow14
Putnam CountyLow18
Owen CountyVery Low18
Brown CountyVery Low15

Common questions about Morgan County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Morgan County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Morgan County, about $15.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4 million.

How many federal disasters has Morgan County had?

Morgan County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1991, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Morgan County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 25th 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 Morgan County?

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

NOAA records list 26 tornadoes in Morgan County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on September 20, 2002 near Martinsville. The weather service has also logged 136 hail reports and 59 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.