Gibson County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Gibson 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.
Gibson County's highest-rated hazards are drought, earthquake, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (23rd 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. Gibson County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1968, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (12), flood (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 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 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 36.9 | 123 | 0 | $602K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 68.8 | 34 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.7 | 11 | 0 | $6.1M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 28 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 58.6 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 59.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 48.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 35.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.5 | 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
Gibson County ranks in the 23rd 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 | 23rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 10th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 35th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 25th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 62nd | Moderate |
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 | 9th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 9th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 191 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 112 in 2016–20 vs 79 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Gibson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Gibson County, Indiana are drought, earthquake, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Gibson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Gibson County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has Gibson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Gibson County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1968.
How does Gibson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Vanderburgh County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Pike County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Gibson County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Gibson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Gibson 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. Gibson County's composite score of 48 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 48% of US counties.