Natural hazards · Pendleton

Pendleton, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pendleton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pendleton?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pendleton to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Tornadoes13%Cold waves8%Earthquakes6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Pendleton faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 58% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 97 years in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Pendleton flood?

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

10paid claims since 1979

$125Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

2026-08-Indiana-Flooding: 2 claims, $13K

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. Pendleton isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Madison County.

Disasters that hit Pendleton

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PendletonDeclared for Madison County only

2026

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

42 households applied for aid $343K aid approved

2025

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

$29K to the Town of Pendleton for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$15K to the Town of Pendleton for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

7 households applied for aid $15K aid approved $37K to the Town of Pendleton for repairs

2007

Snow

$12K to the Town of Pendleton for repairs

2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

13 households applied for aid $13K aid approved

2004

Snow

$3K to the Town of Pendleton for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $318 aid approved

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

27 households applied for aid $44K aid approved

1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$6K to the Town of Pendleton for repairs

Madison County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Pendleton

Pendleton and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Pendletonmostly inland floodingModerate

Fall Creekmostly inland floodingLow

Lapelmostly inland floodingLow

Stony Creekmostly inland floodingLow

Ingallsmostly inland floodingLow

Greenmostly inland floodingLow

Andersonmostly 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. Pendleton covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pendleton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Pendleton. 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 Pendleton total about $2.4M 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.