Martin County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Martin County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1979, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Martin County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, landslide, and drought, with its top risk rated "Very Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th 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. Martin County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1979, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (8), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 1979.
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 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.3 | 7 | 1 | $93K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35.7 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 34.7 | 3 | 1 | $1.3M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 13.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 14.2 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 34.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 28.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 15.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 10.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 45.8 | 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
Martin County ranks in the 16th 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 7th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 44th | 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 | 13th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.7% | — |
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 Martin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Martin County, Indiana are earthquake, landslide, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Martin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Martin County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1979, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (8 declarations).
Has Martin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Martin County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1979.
How does Martin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dubois County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Pike County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Martin County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Martin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Martin 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. Martin County's composite score of 12 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 12% of US counties.