Natural hazards · Chester

Chester, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chester comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chester?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chester to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes28%Inland flooding25%Tornadoes13%Heat waves11%Cold waves10%Strong wind9%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Chester faces

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

Earthquakes

28% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

25% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

13% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Chester flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Chester.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Randolph County.

Disasters that hit Chester

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChesterDeclared for Randolph County only

2019

Severe Storms and Flooding

$548K to the City of Chester for repairs

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

9 households applied for aid $40K aid approved $54K to the City of Chester for repairs

2009

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

$17K to the City of Chester for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$4K to the City of Chester for repairs

2006

Tornadoes and Severe Storms

$13K to the City of Chester for repairs

Randolph County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. Chester covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chester’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chester. 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 Chester total about $1.4M 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.

Chester, IL natural hazards

How exposed is Chester?

What Chester faces

Earthquakes

Inland flooding

Tornadoes

Heat waves

Cold waves

Strong wind

Lower here

Not a risk here

Does Chester flood?

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms and Flooding

Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

Severe Storms and Flooding

Tornadoes and Severe Storms

How to read this page

Where to, neighbor?

Matches

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