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Wabash County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
51st of 92highest risk in Indiana
$12Mexpected losses a year
12federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Wabash County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 59% of US counties. It ranks 51st of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $397 per resident. Since 1999 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 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 (67 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $473,000 on 46 claims here.

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

Top risks in Wabash County

$5.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.5 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.
$1.3 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow47.3
$6M
TornadoModerate71.7
$3M
Cold waveLow59.2
$1M
Strong windModerate71.5
$971K
DroughtModerate69.4
$483K
HailLow62.8
$402K
EarthquakeVery Low53.3
$313K
Heat waveLow39.5
$213K
LightningLow35.1
$128K
Winter weatherLow37.7
$40K
Ice stormVery Low22.2
$19K
HurricaneVery Low30.9
$15K
WildfireVery Low9.7
$3K
LandslideVery Low52.2
$1K

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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm5
Snowstorm3
Flood2
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2026Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingEmergency
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
May 4, 2018Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 8, 2008Severe Storms, Flooding, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Mar 12, 2007SnowEmergency
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 21, 2005Severe Winter Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 3, 2004Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 12
Jan 24, 2001SnowEmergency
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency

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 259 storm reports in Wabash County since 1956, with 2 deaths and 19 injuries and about $12.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 16, 1968.

22tornadoes
87hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
126damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 16, 1968F3–12 / 1
Jun 14, 2000F2North Manchester3 / 0
Apr 17, 1963F2–0 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF2Disko0 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF2La Fontaine0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 22, 1998Flash FloodWabash$8M
Jun 14, 2000TornadoNorth Manchester$730K
Aug 22, 2001LightningWabash$500K
Jul 5, 2003Flash FloodCountywide$350K
May 16, 1968Tornado–$250K
Apr 17, 1963Tornado–$250K

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 Wabash County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (67 policies)
21.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$472,934paid on 46 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $151,804 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 Wabash County

$157,200median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1959median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
73%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.5%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; 14,097 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
Kosciusko CountyLow16
Grant CountyLow20
Huntington CountyVery Low13
Miami CountyLow13
Whitley CountyVery Low13
Fulton CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Wabash County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Wabash County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Wabash County, about $5.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Wabash County had?

Wabash County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1999, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding in August 2026.

Is Wabash County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 51st 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 Wabash County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 200 homes in Wabash 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 Wabash County had?

NOAA records list 22 tornadoes in Wabash County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 16, 1968. The weather service has also logged 87 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.