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Natural hazards · Chicago Heights

Chicago Heights, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chicago Heights comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Chicago Heights?

33
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chicago Heights to be higher than in 33% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding37%Cold waves31%Tornadoes19%Heat waves9%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Chicago Heights faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

31% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Chicago Heights flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978
$151Kpaid to owners
4homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $8K
  • Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $11K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Chicago Heights 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 Chicago Heights

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Chicago HeightsDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

1,015 households applied for aid $2.9M aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,566 households applied for aid $4.4M aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

1,187 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$40K to the City of Chicago Heights for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

633 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

734 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved $15K to the City of Chicago Heights for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$77K to the City of Chicago Heights for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$40K to the City of Chicago Heights for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Chicago Heights

Chicago Heights and the towns around it

Glenwood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Chicago Heights: Very low, mostly cold wavesOlympia Fields: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFlossmoor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPark Forest: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSteger: Low, mostly inland floodingLynwood: Very high, mostly inland floodingHomewood: High, mostly inland floodingThornton: Low, mostly inland floodingMatteson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCountry Club Hills: High, mostly inland floodingHazel Crest: High, mostly inland floodingRich: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBloom: High, mostly inland floodingUniversity Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRichton Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMonee: Moderate, mostly inland floodingCrete: Low, mostly inland floodingSauk Village: High, mostly inland floodingCrete: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChicago Heights: Low, mostly inland flooding Chicago HeightsGlenwoodSouth Chicago HeightsOlympia FieldsFlossmoorPark ForestSteger
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Flossmoormostly inland floodingModerate
Glenwoodmostly inland floodingModerate
Park Forestmostly inland floodingModerate
Olympia Fieldsmostly inland floodingModerate
Chicago Heightsmostly inland floodingLow
Stegermostly inland floodingLow
South Chicago Heightsmostly cold wavesVery 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. Chicago Heights covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chicago Heights’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chicago Heights. 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 Chicago Heights total about $11.0M 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.

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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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