Clay County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Clay County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1959, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Clay County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, strong wind, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (17th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Clay County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1959, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (11), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1959.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 6.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.2 | 5 | 0 | $126K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 49.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 45.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 54.5 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 69.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 44.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 46.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 57.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 61.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Clay County ranks in the 17th percentile (Very low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 17th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 14th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 7th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 29th | Low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 58.5% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Clay County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Clay County, Indiana are earthquake, strong wind, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Clay County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Clay County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1959, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Clay County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Clay County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1959.
How does Clay County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Vigo County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Sullivan County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Clay County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Clay County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Clay County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Clay County's composite score of 27 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 27% of US counties.