Natural hazards · Carthage

Carthage, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Carthage comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2013. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Carthage?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Carthage to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes24%Cold waves6%Everything else17%

By hazard

What Carthage faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

24% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 13 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Carthage flood?

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

2paid claims since 2013

$17Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20132026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Carthage isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Rush County.

Disasters that hit Carthage

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CarthageDeclared for Rush County only

2026

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $6K to the Town of Carthage for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $137 aid approved

2004

Snow

$1K to the Town of Carthage for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$2K to the Town of Carthage for repairs

Rush County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter 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. Carthage is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.