Decatur County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Decatur County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Decatur County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, tornado, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 61% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (2nd 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. Decatur County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (5), 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 |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1974.
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 | Relatively Low | 36.5 | 12 | 1 | $110K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 59.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 20.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.5 | 4 | 0 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.2 | 15 | 0 | $150K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 14.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 26.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 42.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 55.5 | 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
Decatur County ranks in the 2nd 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 | 2nd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 2nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 11th | 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 6th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 40.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-61% — 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 Decatur County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Decatur County, Indiana are lightning, tornado, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Decatur County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Decatur County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Decatur County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Decatur County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Decatur County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bartholomew County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Rush County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Decatur County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Decatur County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Decatur 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. Decatur County's composite score of 23 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 23% of US counties.