Natural hazards · Champaign

Champaign, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Champaign comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 105 claims here since 1979. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Champaign?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Champaign to be higher than in 60% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding46%Cold waves26%Tornadoes14%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Champaign faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 87% 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 Champaign flood?

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

105paid claims since 1979

$695Kpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 10 claims, $117K
Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $6K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Champaign is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Champaign County.

Disasters that hit Champaign

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChampaignDeclared for Champaign County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

16 households applied for aid $30K aid approved

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$50K to the City of Champaign for repairs

Champaign County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often tornadoes and severe storms.

Around Champaign

Champaign and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Champaignmostly inland floodingHigh

Champaign Citymostly inland floodingHigh

Champaignmostly inland floodingModerate

Urbanamostly inland floodingModerate

Savoymostly inland floodingModerate

Urbanamostly inland floodingLow

Cunninghammostly inland floodingLow

Hensleymostly inland floodingLow

Somermostly 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. Champaign covers 18 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Champaign’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Champaign. 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 Champaign total about $31.0M 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.