Natural hazards · Pierce

Pierce, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pierce comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pierce?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pierce to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding53%Tornadoes26%Strong wind8%Cold waves5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Pierce faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 37 years in the area

Strong wind

8% 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 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once 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 Pierce flood?

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

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Washington County.

Disasters that hit Pierce

Federal disasters declared here

None of the disasters declared for Washington County shows FEMA aid or repair money reaching Pierce itself in FEMA’s records.

Brought FEMA money into PierceDeclared for Washington County only

Washington County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Pierce

Pierce and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Jacksonmostly inland floodingHigh

Piercemostly inland floodingHigh

Polkmostly inland floodingHigh

Washingtonmostly inland floodingHigh

Franklinmostly inland floodingModerate

Howardmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Pierce covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pierce’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Pierce. 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 Pierce total about $1.5M 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.