Natural hazards · Madison

Madison, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Madison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 71 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Madison?

80
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Madison to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding73%Tornadoes17%Strong wind5%Everything else5%
By hazard

What Madison faces

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

Inland flooding

73% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 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 Madison flood?

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

71paid claims since 1978
$2.1Mpaid to owners
10homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Central U.S. April Flooding: 5 claims, $252K
  • Not a named storm: 3 claims, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Madison

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MadisonDeclared for Jefferson County only
2025

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

$160K to the City of Madison for repairs
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $12K aid approved $97K to the City of Madison for repairs
2012

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

2 households applied for aid
2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and

$219K to the City of Madison for repairs
2009

Severe Winter Storm

$60K to the City of Madison for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

237 households applied for aid $139K aid approved $292K to the City of Madison for repairs
2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

28 households applied for aid $62K aid approved $28K to the City of Madison for repairs
2004

Snow

$15K to the City of Madison for repairs
Jefferson County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.
Around Madison

Madison and the towns around it

Madison: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHanover: Low, mostly tornadoesMonroe: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMilton: High, mostly inland floodingSmyrna: Moderate, mostly inland floodingShelby: High, mostly inland floodingSaluda: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRepublican: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMadison: Very high, mostly inland flooding MadisonMadisonHanover
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Madisonmostly inland floodingVery high
Madisonmostly inland floodingModerate
Hanovermostly tornadoesLow
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. Madison covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Madison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Madison. 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 Madison total about $2.3M 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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