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Natural hazards · Chesterton

Chesterton, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chesterton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 claims here since 1980. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Chesterton?

28
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chesterton to be higher than in 28% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves21%Tornadoes21%Everything else10%
By hazard

What Chesterton faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Chesterton flood?

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

9paid claims since 1980
$221Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19802026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $106K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Chesterton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Porter County.
Disasters that hit Chesterton

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChestertonDeclared for Porter County only
2026

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

712 households applied for aid $888K aid approved
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $991 aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

148 households applied for aid $292K aid approved $375K to the Town of Chesterton for repairs
2007

Snow

$17K to the Town of Chesterton for repairs
2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $2K aid approved
2000

Snow

$15K to the Town of Chesterton for repairs
1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$16K to the Town of Chesterton for repairs
Porter County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Chesterton

Chesterton and the towns around it

Porter: Low, mostly inland floodingLiberty: Low, mostly inland floodingWestchester: Low, mostly inland floodingBurns Harbor: Very low, mostly inland floodingPortage: Low, mostly inland floodingDune Acres: Low, mostly inland floodingCenter: Very low, mostly inland floodingJackson: Very low, mostly inland floodingPortage: Low, mostly inland floodingPine: Low, mostly inland floodingBeverly Shores: Low, mostly inland floodingOgden Dunes: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGary: Low, mostly inland floodingCalumet: Low, mostly inland floodingChesterton: Low, mostly inland flooding ChestertonPorterLibertyWestchesterBurns HarborPortage
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Libertymostly inland floodingLow
Portagemostly inland floodingLow
Chestertonmostly inland floodingLow
Portermostly inland floodingLow
Westchestermostly inland floodingLow
Burns Harbormostly inland floodingVery low
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. Chesterton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chesterton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Chesterton. 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 Chesterton total about $4.6M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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