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Natural hazards · Chicago

Chicago, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chicago comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 550 claims here since 1978. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Chicago?

47
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chicago to be higher than in 47% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding39%Cold waves33%Tornadoes15%Heat waves9%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Chicago faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

33% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% 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 Chicago flood?

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

550paid claims since 1978
$6.0Mpaid to owners
71homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 72 claims, $1.1M
  • Hurricane Ike: 17 claims, $178K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

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

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings floodproofed
1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Chicago

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChicagoDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

24,786 households applied for aid $87.3M aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

70,837 households applied for aid $210M aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

42,535 households applied for aid $61.5M aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$5.2M to the City of Chicago for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

91,135 households applied for aid $225M aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

17,171 households applied for aid $20.7M aid approved $1.4M to the City of Chicago for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$2.5M to the City of Chicago for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$655K to the City of Chicago for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$1.5M to the City of Chicago for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$5.7M to the City of Chicago for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Chicago

Chicago and the towns around it

Leyden: 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 floodingCalumet: Very high, mostly inland floodingPark Ridge: Moderate, mostly inland floodingElk Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNiles: Low, mostly inland floodingDes Plaines: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFranklin Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorridge: Low, mostly cold wavesProviso: High, mostly inland floodingElmwood Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorwood Park: Low, mostly inland floodingAddison: Low, mostly inland floodingMerrionette Park: Very high, mostly inland floodingEvergreen Park: High, mostly inland floodingPalos: High, mostly inland floodingOak Lawn: Very high, mostly inland floodingBremen: High, mostly inland floodingAlsip: High, mostly inland floodingChicago Ridge: Very high, mostly inland floodingBridgeview: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSkokie: Moderate, mostly inland floodingEvanston: Low, mostly inland floodingNew Trier: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthfield: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLincolnwood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWilmette: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLyons: High, mostly inland floodingStickney: Very high, mostly inland floodingBedford Park: Low, mostly inland floodingForest View: High, mostly inland floodingCicero: High, mostly inland floodingBurbank: High, mostly inland floodingSummit: High, mostly inland floodingLyons: Very high, mostly inland floodingRiverdale: Very high, mostly inland floodingCalumet Park: Very high, mostly inland floodingThornton: Very high, mostly inland floodingBlue Island: Very high, mostly inland floodingSchaumburg: Low, mostly inland floodingElk Grove Village: Very low, mostly inland floodingItasca: Very low, mostly inland floodingChicago: Moderate, mostly inland flooding ChicagoLeydenMaineRosemontWorthSchiller ParkNilesStickneyCalumetPark RidgeElk GroveNilesDes Plaines
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Calumetmostly inland floodingVery high
Worthmostly inland floodingVery high
Stickneymostly inland floodingHigh
Des Plainesmostly inland floodingModerate
Leydenmostly inland floodingModerate
Mainemostly inland floodingModerate
Chicagomostly inland floodingModerate
Nilesmostly inland floodingModerate
Park Ridgemostly inland floodingModerate
Schiller Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Elk Grovemostly inland floodingModerate
Nilesmostly inland floodingLow
Rosemontmostly 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. Chicago covers 793 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chicago’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chicago. 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 total about $1,092M 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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