Rush County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rush County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Rush County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, earthquake, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 28 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (21st 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. Rush County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), 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 |
| 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 |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 28.5 | 5 | 0 | $331K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 15.9 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 54.8 | 5 | 0 | $537K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 19.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 34.2 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 22.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 24.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 23.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 37.2 | 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
Rush County ranks in the 21st 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 | 21st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 5th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 8th | 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 | 2nd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 2nd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 34.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 14 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 Rush County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rush County, Indiana are tornado, earthquake, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Rush County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rush County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Rush County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Rush 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 1974.
How does Rush County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Henry County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Decatur County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Rush County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Rush County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rush 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. Rush County's composite score of 16 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 16% of US counties.