Hendricks County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hendricks County has experienced 14 federally declared disasters since 1996, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Hendricks County's highest-rated hazards are winter weather, hail, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 37 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (9th 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. Hendricks County has been designated in 14 declarations since 1996, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (6), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 | 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 14 total declarations since 1996.
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 | 10.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81 | 8 | 0 | $504K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 82.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 75.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87 | 6 | 0 | $1.4M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 89.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.3 | 4 | 0 | $375K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 56.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.8 | 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
Hendricks County ranks in the 9th 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 | 9th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 28th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 51st | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | 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 | 4th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 4th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 30.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 37 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 19 in 2016–20 vs 18 in 2021–25 (-5% — relatively stable).
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 Hendricks County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hendricks County, Indiana are winter weather, hail, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hendricks County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hendricks County has received 14 federal disaster declarations since 1996, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (6 declarations).
Has Hendricks County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hendricks County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1996.
How does Hendricks 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 Montgomery County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Hendricks County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hendricks County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hendricks 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. Hendricks County's composite score of 77 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 77% of US counties.