Johnson County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Johnson County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1991, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Johnson County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 26 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (11th 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. Johnson County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1991, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (8), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2005 | 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 16 total declarations since 1991.
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 | 19.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.9 | 6 | 0 | $112K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.6 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 89.3 | 4 | 0 | $8.7M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 11.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.4 | 15 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 91.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 85.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 57.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.3 | 2 | 0 | $50K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.1 | 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
Johnson County ranks in the 11th 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 | 11th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 15th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 40th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 10th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 26.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 26 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (0% — 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 Johnson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Johnson County, Indiana are strong wind, tornado, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Johnson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Johnson County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1991, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Johnson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Johnson County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1991.
How does Johnson 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 Brown County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Johnson County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Johnson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Johnson 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. Johnson County's composite score of 75 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 75% of US counties.