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Natural hazards · Lawrence

Lawrence, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lawrence comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Lawrence?

30
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lawrence to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes15%Cold waves12%Heat waves8%Earthquakes5%Everything else5%
By hazard

What Lawrence 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 49% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Cold waves

12% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 29% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Heat waves

8% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Lawrence flood?

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

3paid claims since 1979
$23Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19792026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Lawrence isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Marion County.
Disasters that hit Lawrence

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LawrenceDeclared for Marion County only
2026

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

1 household applied for aid
2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$120K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

2 households applied for aid $108K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2007

Snow

$75K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2004

Snow

$69K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $71K aid approved
2002

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

$49K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$90K to the City of Lawrence for repairs
Marion County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Lawrence

Lawrence and the towns around it

Indianapolis: no dataLawrence: Low, mostly inland floodingBuck Creek: Low, mostly inland floodingPike: Moderate, mostly inland floodingZionsville: Low, mostly inland floodingBrown: High, mostly inland floodingFranklin: Low, mostly inland floodingPerry: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDecatur: Low, mostly inland floodingVernon: Low, mostly inland floodingMcCordsville: Low, mostly inland floodingWashington: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWarren: Low, mostly inland floodingFishers: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFall Creek: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDelaware: Low, mostly inland floodingSugar Creek: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPhiladelphia: Low, mostly inland floodingCumberland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCenter: Low, mostly inland floodingLawrence: Low, mostly inland flooding LawrenceIndianapolisLawrenceBuck Creek
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Buck Creekmostly inland floodingLow
Lawrencemostly inland floodingLow
Lawrencemostly inland floodingLow
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. Lawrence covers 10 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lawrence’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lawrence. 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 Lawrence total about $10.8M 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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