Natural hazards · Portland

Portland, IN natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Portland comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 21 claims here since 2003. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Portland?

45
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Portland to be higher than in 45% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding56%Tornadoes23%Strong wind7%Earthquakes6%Everything else8%
By hazard

What Portland faces

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

Inland flooding

56% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Strong wind

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

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 Portland flood?

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

21paid claims since 2003
$392Kpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
20032026

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. Portland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Jay County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1storm safe rooms built
Disasters that hit Portland

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PortlandDeclared for Jay County only
2008

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$4K to the City of Portland for repairs
2007

Snow

$6K to the City of Portland for repairs
2005

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

638 households applied for aid $434K aid approved $61K to the City of Portland for repairs
2004

Snow

$2K to the City of Portland for repairs
2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

23 households applied for aid $73K aid approved $5K to the City of Portland for repairs
1999

In-Winter Storm 12/23/98

$3K to the City of Portland for repairs
Jay County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and severe storms.
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. Portland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Portland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Portland. 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 Portland total about $1.7M 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