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Natural hazards · Alton

Alton, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Alton comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 57 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Alton?

50
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Alton to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding38%Earthquakes19%Tornadoes16%Heat waves11%Cold waves10%Everything else6%
By hazard

What Alton faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Heat waves

11% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places
Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Alton flood?

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

57paid claims since 1979
$1.4Mpaid to owners
9homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Early winter storms: 7 claims, $118K
  • Midwest Flooding: 7 claims, $328K
  • Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $9K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Alton 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 Alton

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AltonDeclared for Madison County only
2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$5.7M to the City of Alton for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$383K to the City of Alton for repairs
2006

Severe Winter Storm

$245K to the City of Alton for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$62K to the City of Alton for repairs
Madison County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Alton

Alton and the towns around it

Alton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWood River: High, mostly inland floodingGodfrey: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEast Alton: High, mostly inland floodingFoster: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWest Alton: High, mostly inland floodingFort Russell: High, mostly inland floodingBethalto: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRoxana: High, mostly inland floodingChouteau: High, mostly inland floodingElsah: High, mostly inland floodingPiasa: High, mostly inland floodingRosewood Heights: High, mostly inland floodingWood River: High, mostly inland floodingBrighton: Moderate, mostly earthquakesMoro: Moderate, mostly inland floodingAlton: Moderate, mostly inland flooding AltonAltonWood RiverGodfreyEast AltonFosterWest Alton
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
West Altonmostly inland floodingHigh
East Altonmostly inland floodingHigh
Wood Rivermostly inland floodingHigh
Fostermostly inland floodingModerate
Altonmostly inland floodingModerate
Altonmostly inland floodingModerate
Godfreymostly 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. Alton covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Alton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Alton. 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 Alton total about $12.8M 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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