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Natural hazards · Burnham

Burnham, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Burnham comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 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 Burnham?

71
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Burnham to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves26%Tornadoes14%Heat waves8%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Burnham faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 87% 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

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Burnham flood?

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

6paid claims since 1979
$8Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19792026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Burnham 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 Burnham

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BurnhamDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

98 households applied for aid $383K aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

455 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

126 households applied for aid $210K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$7K to the Village of Burnham for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

123 households applied for aid $253K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

221 households applied for aid $221K aid approved $41K to the Village of Burnham for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$4K to the Village of Burnham for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$5K to the Village of Burnham for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Burnham

Burnham and the towns around it

Thornton: Very high, mostly inland floodingChicago: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCalumet City: High, mostly inland floodingBremen: High, mostly inland floodingBloom: High, mostly inland floodingNorth: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCalumet: Very high, mostly inland floodingThornton: Low, mostly inland floodingHammond: Low, mostly inland floodingRiverdale: Very high, mostly inland floodingLansing: High, mostly inland floodingMunster: High, mostly inland floodingDixmoor: Very high, mostly inland floodingLeyden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMaine: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRosemont: Low, mostly inland floodingWorth: Very high, mostly inland floodingSchiller Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNiles: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStickney: High, mostly inland floodingPark Ridge: Moderate, mostly inland floodingElk Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNiles: Low, mostly inland floodingDes Plaines: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Holland: Very high, mostly inland floodingDolton: Very high, mostly inland floodingBurnham: High, mostly inland flooding BurnhamThorntonChicagoCalumet City
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Thorntonmostly inland floodingVery high
Burnhammostly inland floodingHigh
Calumet Citymostly inland floodingHigh
Chicagomostly 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. Burnham covers 1 census tract, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Burnham’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Burnham. 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 Burnham total about $2.1M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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