Natural hazards · Brookfield

Brookfield, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brookfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 61 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Brookfield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brookfield to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves27%Tornadoes13%Heat waves7%Everything else3%

By hazard

What Brookfield 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 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

27% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

7% 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 Brookfield flood?

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

61paid claims since 1979

$842Kpaid to owners

12homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 15 claims, $312K
Hurricane Ike: 11 claims, $166K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (3) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Brookfield 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 Brookfield

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BrookfieldDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

37 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

78 households applied for aid $122K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

425 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Village of Brookfield for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

368 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

66 households applied for aid $157K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$11K to the Village of Brookfield for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$17K to the Village of Brookfield for repairs

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

Around Brookfield

Brookfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lyonsmostly inland floodingVery high

La Grange Parkmostly inland floodingHigh

Riversidemostly inland floodingHigh

North Riversidemostly inland floodingHigh

Lyonsmostly inland floodingHigh

Brookfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Brookfield covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brookfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Brookfield. 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 Brookfield total about $9.8M 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.