Natural hazards · Cary

Cary, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cary comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cary?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cary to be higher than in 36% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding59%Tornadoes18%Cold waves17%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Cary faces

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

Inland flooding

59% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

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 Cary flood?

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

11paid claims since 1979

$44Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $8K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McHenry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Cary

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CaryDeclared for McHenry County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $45K aid approved $4K to the Village of Cary for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$37K to the Village of Cary for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$29K to the Village of Cary for repairs

2006

Snow

$21K to the Village of Cary for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$9K to the Village of Cary for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$11K to the Village of Cary for repairs

McHenry County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Cary

Cary and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Trout Valleymostly inland floodingVery high

Fox River Grovemostly inland floodingHigh

Lake in the Hillsmostly inland floodingModerate

Carymostly inland floodingLow

Crystal Lakemostly inland floodingLow

Algonquinmostly 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. Cary covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cary’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Cary. 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 Cary total about $5.7M 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.