Natural hazards · Arlington Heights

Arlington Heights, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Arlington Heights comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Arlington Heights?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Arlington Heights to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding47%Cold waves28%Tornadoes14%Heat waves8%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Arlington Heights faces

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

Inland flooding

47% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

28% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Arlington Heights flood?

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

43paid claims since 1978

$145Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $3K

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

Insurance rates: Cook County.

Disasters that hit Arlington Heights

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Arlington Heights itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Arlington Heights.

Brought FEMA money into Arlington HeightsDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

21 households applied for aid $11K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

30 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

42 households applied for aid $40K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$99K to the Village of Arlington Heights for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $5K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

39 households applied for aid $86K aid approved $39K to the Village of Arlington Heights for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$154K to the Village of Arlington Heights for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$71K to the Village of Arlington Heights for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$73K to the Village of Arlington Heights for repairs

Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Arlington Heights

Arlington Heights and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wheelingmostly inland floodingHigh

Prospect Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate

Mount Prospectmostly inland floodingModerate

Buffalo Grovemostly inland floodingModerate

Wheelingmostly inland floodingModerate

Rolling Meadowsmostly inland floodingModerate

Arlington Heightsmostly inland floodingModerate

Palatinemostly 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. Arlington Heights covers 19 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Arlington Heights’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Arlington Heights. 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 Arlington Heights total about $43.3M 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.