Natural hazards · Garrett

Garrett, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Garrett comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Garrett?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Garrett to be higher than in 25% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes19%Strong wind9%Cold waves5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Garrett faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 47% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Garrett flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Garrett.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: DeKalb County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

17flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Garrett

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GarrettDeclared for DeKalb County only

2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2007

Snow

$6K to the City of Garrett for repairs

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$9K to the City of Garrett for repairs

DeKalb County has had 13 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. Garrett 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 Garrett’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Garrett. 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.