Natural hazards · Bellwood

Bellwood, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bellwood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,127 claims here since 1982. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bellwood?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bellwood to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding57%Cold waves23%Tornadoes10%Heat waves6%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Bellwood faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 93% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bellwood flood?

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

1,127paid claims since 1982

$9.4Mpaid to owners

246homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 256 claims, $2.7M
Hurricane Ike: 72 claims, $325K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 5 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Bellwood 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 Bellwood

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BellwoodDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

341 households applied for aid $820K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

826 households applied for aid $3.1M aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

2,053 households applied for aid $5.1M aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the Village of Bellwood for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

4,080 households applied for aid $15.1M aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

716 households applied for aid $710K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$15K to the Village of Bellwood for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$32K to the Village of Bellwood for repairs

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

Around Bellwood

Bellwood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bellwoodmostly inland floodingVery high

Westchestermostly inland floodingHigh

Maywoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Melrose Parkmostly inland floodingHigh

Hillsidemostly inland floodingModerate

Berkeleymostly 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. Bellwood covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bellwood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Bellwood. 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 Bellwood total about $11.1M 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.