Home › Indiana › Owen County

Owen County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
57th of 92highest risk in Indiana
$10Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Owen County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 65% of US counties. It ranks 57th of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, strong wind and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $492 per resident. Since 1991 it has been included in 18 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). Only 47 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.6 million on 147 claims here, including $2.3 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 Owen County

$6.1 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.

Strong wind

Moderate
$1.4 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.
$1 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 floodingLow49.4
$6M
Strong windModerate82.7
$1M
TornadoLow45.8
$1M
Cold waveLow37.8
$567K
EarthquakeLow61.2
$452K
Heat waveLow49.8
$342K
HailLow52.4
$270K
DroughtLow46.5
$108K
Ice stormLow50.0
$79K
Winter weatherLow56.8
$77K
LightningVery Low19.6
$63K
LandslideModerate89.3
$50K
WildfireVery Low11.5
$4K
HurricaneVery Low12.3
$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 moderate 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 Owen County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm11
Flood4
Snowstorm1
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
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
Sep 1, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
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
Jun 13, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 22, 1998Severe Storms and Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 269 storm reports in Owen County since 1955, with 3 deaths and 9 injuries and about $138 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on March 31, 2023 near Spencer.

17tornadoes
56hail reports, largest 4 inches
133damaging thunderstorm winds
54floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 31, 2023EF3Spencer2 / 2
Apr 18, 1975F2–1 / 0
Jun 24, 1976F2–0 / 0
May 30, 2004F1Freedom0 / 0
Jun 15, 2019EF1Freedom0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 4, 2008FloodSpencer$110M
Jun 18, 2021Flash FloodFreedom$20M
Jun 28, 1998Flash FloodCentral Portion$4M
Mar 31, 2023TornadoSpencer$2M
May 30, 2004TornadoFreedom$300K
Apr 18, 1975Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 21, 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 Owen County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (47 policies)
15.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.6 millionpaid on 147 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $2.3 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 Owen County

$172,400median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
47%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
15%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; 9,918 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
Monroe CountyLow14
Morgan CountyLow18
Putnam CountyLow18
Greene CountyVery Low17
Clay CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Owen County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Owen County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Owen County, about $6.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Strong wind is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Owen County had?

Owen County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1991, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Owen County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 57th 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 Owen County?

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

NOAA records list 17 tornadoes in Owen County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on March 31, 2023 near Spencer. The weather service has also logged 56 hail reports and 54 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.