Hamilton County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hamilton County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Hamilton County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, hail, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 39% 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. Hamilton County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (4), snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 20.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.1 | 17 | 0 | $516K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.8 | 3 | 0 | $625K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 25.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 93.5 | 52 | 0 | $8K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 91.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 73.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 83.9 | 1 | 0 | $4K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 51.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 47.6 | 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
Hamilton 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 | 1st | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 27th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 3rd | 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 | 3rd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 2nd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 20.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 74 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 46 in 2016–20 vs 28 in 2021–25 (-39% — 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 Hamilton County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hamilton County, Indiana are tornado, hail, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Hamilton County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hamilton County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Hamilton County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hamilton 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 1965.
How does Hamilton County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marion County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Tipton County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Hamilton County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Hamilton County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hamilton 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. Hamilton County's composite score of 89 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 89% of US counties.