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Rush County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
82nd of 92highest risk in Indiana
$7Mexpected losses a year
15federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Rush County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 84% of US counties. It ranks 82nd of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $6.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $397 per resident. Since 1974 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 33 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $205,000 on 23 claims here.

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

Top risks in Rush County

$3.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once 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.
$1.6 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.

Earthquake

Very Low
$353,827 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 510 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low28.5
$4M
TornadoLow54.8
$2M
EarthquakeVery Low53.4
$354K
Cold waveLow24.4
$335K
Strong windLow26.1
$270K
HailLow34.2
$152K
DroughtLow48.5
$140K
LightningVery Low23.3
$86K
Ice stormLow38.8
$53K
Heat waveVery Low15.9
$44K
Winter weatherVery Low22.7
$22K
HurricaneVery Low19.9
$6K
LandslideVery Low37.2
$585
WildfireVery Low1.2
$533

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 Rush County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm5
Flood4
Snowstorm3
Tornado1
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
Sep 23, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor 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 25, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Show all 15
Jul 22, 1998Severe Storms and Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 2, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Jan 5, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 1977SnowstormsEmergency
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 275 storm reports in Rush County since 1956, with 3 deaths and 41 injuries and about $10.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on July 9, 1980.

23tornadoes
54hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
177damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 9, 1980F4–25 / 2
Apr 25, 1961F4–3 / 0
Jul 9, 1980F4–0 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F4–0 / 0
Jun 3, 2008EF3Moscow8 / 1

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 9, 1980Tornado–$3M
Apr 25, 1961Tornado–$3M
Jun 3, 2008TornadoMoscow$1M
Sep 20, 2002TornadoRushville$505K
Mar 15, 2025Thunderstorm WindRushville$500K
Jun 15, 2019TornadoGowdy$275K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 11, 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 Rush County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (33 policies)
22.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$205,176paid on 23 flood claims since 1978
2026costliest year, with $108,011 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 Rush County

$166,800median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1954median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
73%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; 7,387 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
Hancock CountyLow17
Henry CountyLow18
Shelby CountyLow13
Decatur CountyVery Low14
Fayette CountyVery Low15
Franklin CountyVery Low22

Common questions about Rush County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Rush County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Rush County, about $3.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Rush County had?

Rush County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Rush County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 82nd 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 Rush County?

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

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Rush County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on July 9, 1980. The weather service has also logged 54 hail reports and 19 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.