Dearborn County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dearborn County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Dearborn County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, strong wind, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 58% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (3rd 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. Dearborn County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1968, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2026 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.6 | 34 | 0 | $202K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35.8 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.5 | 4 | 0 | $120K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.3 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 55.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 26 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 89.3 | 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
Dearborn County ranks in the 3rd 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 | 3rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 3rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 7th | Very 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 | 15th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 54 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 38 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (-58% — frequency decreasing).
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 Dearborn County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dearborn County, Indiana are landslide, strong wind, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Dearborn County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dearborn County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Dearborn County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dearborn County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1968.
How does Dearborn County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hamilton County, OH has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Ohio County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Dearborn County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Dearborn County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dearborn 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. Dearborn County's composite score of 45 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 45% of US counties.