Natural hazards · Bristol

Bristol, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bristol comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1996. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bristol?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bristol to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves29%Tornadoes15%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Bristol faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

29% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Bristol flood?

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

3paid claims since 1996

$81Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $26K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Bristol isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Kendall County.

Disasters that hit Bristol

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BristolDeclared for Kendall County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

4 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$7K to the Township of Bristol for repairs

Kendall County has had 11 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Bristol

Bristol and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bristolmostly inland floodingHigh

Yorkvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Little Rockmostly inland floodingModerate

Oswegomostly inland floodingModerate

Kendallmostly 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. Bristol covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bristol’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Bristol. 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 Bristol total about $19.4M 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.