Vanderburgh County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Vanderburgh County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1991, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Vanderburgh County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, tornado, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 131 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Vanderburgh County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1991, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (11), 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 |
| 2018 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | 31.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 89.8 | 65 | 0 | $659K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 97.2 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.4 | 35 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 95.9 | 10 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 42.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 82.9 | 17 | 0 | $100K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 79.9 | 4 | 1 | $40K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 52.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22.9 | 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
Vanderburgh County ranks in the 56th 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 54th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 49th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 64th | 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 | 11th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 10th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 32.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 131 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 62 in 2016–20 vs 69 in 2021–25 (+11% — 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 Vanderburgh County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Vanderburgh County, Indiana are earthquake, tornado, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Vanderburgh County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Vanderburgh County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1991, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (11 declarations).
Has Vanderburgh County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Vanderburgh 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 1991.
How does Vanderburgh County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Henderson County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Spencer County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Vanderburgh County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Vanderburgh County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Vanderburgh 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. Vanderburgh County's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.