Shelby County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Shelby County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Shelby County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, earthquake, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 23 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (28th 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. Shelby County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), flood (3), biological (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 |
| 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 |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 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 | 4.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 52.5 | 8 | 0 | $96K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 40.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | 5 | 0 | $258K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 13 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.3 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 38.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 51.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 30.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 30.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 60.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 42.3 | 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
Shelby County ranks in the 28th percentile (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 | 28th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 34th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 24th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 45th | 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 | 37.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 23 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 6 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 .
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 Shelby County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Shelby County, Indiana are tornado, earthquake, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Shelby County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Shelby County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has Shelby County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Shelby 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 1974.
How does Shelby 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 Rush County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Shelby County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Shelby County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Shelby 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. Shelby County's composite score of 43 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 43% of US counties.