Pike County, Indiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Pike County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 81% of US counties. It ranks 81st of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $6.1 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $498 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (15 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2026 (severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding). Only 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Pike County
- 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.
- Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
- Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 26.8 | $3M | ||
| Earthquake | 79.6 | $1M | ||
| Tornado | 40.3 | $752K | ||
| Strong wind | 45.6 | $412K | ||
| Heat wave | 49.1 | $306K | ||
| Drought | 58.6 | $223K | ||
| Cold wave | 12.7 | $101K | ||
| Hail | 28.5 | $95K | ||
| Lightning | 25.2 | $76K | ||
| Winter weather | 47.2 | $50K | ||
| Ice storm | 31.1 | $29K | ||
| Hurricane | 24.4 | $7K | ||
| Wildfire | 11.6 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 24.5 | $157 |
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 high 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 Pike County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 20
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 331 storm reports in Pike County since 1954, with 7 deaths and 63 injuries and about $38.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | – | 60 / 6 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 2, 1990 | F4 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2025 | EF2 | Dongola | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 2006 | F2 | Otwell | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 1990 | Tornado | – | $25M |
| Jun 2, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jun 2, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 15, 2025 | Tornado | Dongola | $2M |
| May 25, 2006 | Tornado | Otwell | $1M |
| May 10, 1996 | Flash Flood | Arthur | $500K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 28, 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 Pike County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Pike County
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; 5,589 housing units.
Compare in Indiana
All 92 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Marion County | Inland flooding | |
| Lake County | Inland flooding | |
| Allen County | Inland flooding | |
| Hamilton County | Inland flooding | |
| St. Joseph County | Inland flooding | |
| Elkhart County | Inland flooding | |
| Tippecanoe County | Inland flooding | |
| Vanderburgh County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Warrick County | 18 | |
| Dubois County | 14 | |
| Knox County | 16 | |
| Daviess County | 16 | |
| Gibson County | 20 |
Common questions about Pike County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Pike County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pike County, about $2.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $1.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Pike County had?
Pike County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 15 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.
Is Pike County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 81st 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 Pike County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Pike 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 Pike County had?
NOAA records list 32 tornadoes in Pike County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990. The weather service has also logged 50 hail reports and 152 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.