Natural hazards · Bluffton

Bluffton, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bluffton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1985. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Bluffton?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bluffton to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding57%Tornadoes22%Strong wind7%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Bluffton faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

22% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Bluffton flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Bluffton, from FEMA’s records.

15paid claims since 1985

$311Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19852026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Bluffton is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Wells County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

28flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Bluffton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Bluffton itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Bluffton.

Brought FEMA money into BlufftonDeclared for Wells County only

2007

Snow

$14K to the City of Bluffton for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $19K to the City of Bluffton for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

257 households applied for aid $491K aid approved $254K to the City of Bluffton for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$6K to the City of Bluffton for repairs

Wells County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Bluffton covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bluffton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Bluffton. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Bluffton total about $4.1M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.