Natural hazards · Barrington

Barrington, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Barrington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 25 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Barrington?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Barrington to be higher than in 18% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding47%Cold waves26%Tornadoes17%Heat waves7%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Barrington 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

Below average · higher than 34% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

7% 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 Barrington flood?

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

25paid claims since 1978

$340Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $27K
Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $74K

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. Barrington 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Barrington

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BarringtonDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

3 households applied for aid $47K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $36K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $5K to the Village of Barrington for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $41K to the Village of Barrington for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$25K to the Village of Barrington for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$15K to the Village of Barrington for repairs

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

Around Barrington

Barrington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Cubamostly inland floodingHigh

Barrington Hillsmostly inland floodingModerate

Palatinemostly inland floodingLow

Invernessmostly inland floodingLow

Deer Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Elamostly inland floodingLow

Barringtonmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Barrington is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Barrington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Barrington. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.