St. Joseph County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Joseph County has experienced 17 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
St. Joseph County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, hail, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 36% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. St. Joseph County has been designated in 17 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (5), snowstorm (4), flood (3).
| 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 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 17 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 22.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.4 | 11 | 1 | $6.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 78.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 90.5 | 8 | 0 | $45K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 43.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 94.2 | 44 | 0 | $45K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | 3 | 0 | $231K |
| Drought | Very Low | 12.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 50.3 | 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
St. Joseph County ranks in the 61st percentile (Moderate) 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 | 61st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 54th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | Moderate |
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 | 3rd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 3rd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 20.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 66 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 38 in 2021–25 (+36% — frequency increasing).
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 St. Joseph County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Joseph County, Indiana are cold wave, hail, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has St. Joseph County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Joseph County has received 17 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (5 declarations).
Has St. Joseph County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Joseph 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 1965.
How does St. Joseph County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Elkhart County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Starke County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). St. Joseph County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is St. Joseph County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Joseph 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. St. Joseph County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.