Home › Indiana › Whitley County

Whitley County, Indiana

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

Very Low overall risk
71st of 92highest risk in Indiana
$10Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 200homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Whitley County, Indiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 75% of US counties. It ranks 71st of 92 counties in Indiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $9.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $282 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (70 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $157,000 on 29 claims here.

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

Top risks in Whitley County

$4.6 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.
$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 5 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.

Strong wind

Moderate
$827,013 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 floodingVery Low34.3
$5M
TornadoLow60.9
$2M
Strong windModerate59.2
$827K
Heat waveLow53.1
$497K
Cold waveLow29.6
$466K
DroughtModerate64.6
$446K
HailLow46.8
$265K
EarthquakeVery Low45.3
$243K
LightningVery Low19.9
$78K
Winter weatherLow29.5
$33K
Ice stormVery Low27.0
$30K
HurricaneVery Low26.7
$13K
WildfireVery Low10.1
$4K
LandslideVery Low51.5
$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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm7
Snowstorm4
Hurricane1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Apr 22, 2014Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Apr 22, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 30, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor 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
Jan 24, 2001SnowEmergency
Show all 13
Jan 15, 1999In-Winter Storm 12/23/98Emergency
Jul 3, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 2, 1977SnowstormsEmergency

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 340 storm reports in Whitley County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 1 injury and about $3.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on July 16, 1965.

16tornadoes
97hail reports, largest 9.99 inches
205damaging thunderstorm winds
18floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jul 16, 1965F2–0 / 0
Mar 8, 2009EF1Columbia City0 / 0
Jun 21, 1967F1–0 / 0
Jun 26, 1973F1–0 / 0
Jun 21, 1954F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 9, 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$1M
Mar 8, 2009TornadoColumbia City$500K
May 27, 2022Flash FloodTri Lakes$300K
Sep 20, 2024Thunderstorm WindColumbia City$300K
Jul 7, 1996Thunderstorm WindSouth Whitley$200K
Jan 8, 2008FloodSouth Whitley$150K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 18, 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 Whitley County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (70 policies)
24.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$156,630paid on 29 flood claims since 1978
2009costliest year, with $51,916 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 Whitley County

$219,400median home value (Indiana $218,200, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Indiana 1976, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.6%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; 15,030 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
Allen CountyModerate16
Kosciusko CountyLow16
Noble CountyLow14
Huntington CountyVery Low13
Wabash CountyVery Low12

Common questions about Whitley County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Whitley County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Whitley County, about $4.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Whitley County had?

Whitley County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Whitley County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Whitley County?

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

NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Whitley County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on July 16, 1965. The weather service has also logged 97 hail reports and 18 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.