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Natural hazards · Merrillville

Merrillville, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Merrillville comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 123 claims here since 1978. 11 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Merrillville?

36
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Merrillville to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding43%Cold waves27%Tornadoes23%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Merrillville faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

27% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Merrillville flood?

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

123paid claims since 1978
$1.1Mpaid to owners
15homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ike: 27 claims, $476K

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
🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Merrillville is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Lake County.
Disasters that hit Merrillville

11 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MerrillvilleDeclared for Lake County only
2026

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

4,574 households applied for aid $9.7M aid approved
2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

325 households applied for aid $142K aid approved
2018

Severe Storms and Flooding

113 households applied for aid $150K aid approved
2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$46K to the Town of Merrillville for repairs
2009

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

42 households applied for aid $77K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,930 households applied for aid $4.7M aid approved
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

541 households applied for aid $499K aid approved
2006

Severe Storms and Flooding

148 households applied for aid $302K aid approved
2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

72 households applied for aid $44K aid approved
2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

52 households applied for aid $55K aid approved
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

15 households applied for aid $29K aid approved
Lake County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.
Around Merrillville

Merrillville and the towns around it

Ross: Low, mostly inland floodingCrown Point: Low, mostly inland floodingHobart: Low, mostly inland floodingUnion: Very low, mostly inland floodingCenter: Low, mostly inland floodingCalumet: Low, mostly inland floodingWinfield: Low, mostly inland floodingHobart: Low, mostly inland floodingWinfield: Low, mostly inland floodingSt. John: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGary: Low, mostly inland floodingRoss: Very low, mostly cold wavesLake Station: Low, mostly inland floodingNew Chicago: Very low, mostly inland floodingPortage: Low, mostly inland floodingCenter: Very low, mostly inland floodingPorter: Low, mostly inland floodingHanover: Low, mostly inland floodingCedar Creek: Low, mostly inland floodingCedar Lake: Very low, mostly inland floodingLake Dalecarlia: Low, mostly inland floodingEagle Creek: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGriffith: Low, mostly inland floodingHighland: High, mostly inland floodingHammond: Low, mostly inland floodingEast Chicago: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSchererville: Low, mostly inland floodingLakes of the Four Seasons: Low, mostly inland floodingBoone: Low, mostly inland floodingCrete: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWillowbrook: High, mostly inland floodingSt. John: Low, mostly inland floodingDyer: High, mostly inland floodingMunster: High, mostly inland floodingPortage: Low, mostly inland floodingMerrillville: Low, mostly inland flooding MerrillvilleRossCrown PointHobartUnionCenterCalumetWinfieldHobartWinfieldSt. JohnGaryRoss
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
St. Johnmostly inland floodingModerate
Merrillvillemostly inland floodingLow
Hobartmostly inland floodingLow
Rossmostly inland floodingLow
Hobartmostly inland floodingLow
Calumetmostly inland floodingLow
Winfieldmostly inland floodingLow
Garymostly inland floodingLow
Winfieldmostly inland floodingLow
Centermostly inland floodingLow
Crown Pointmostly inland floodingLow
Unionmostly inland floodingVery low
Rossmostly cold wavesVery 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. Merrillville covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Merrillville’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Merrillville. 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 Merrillville total about $12.0M 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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