Natural hazards · Chillicothe

Chillicothe, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chillicothe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 134 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 Chillicothe?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chillicothe to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves25%Tornadoes12%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Chillicothe faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

25% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% 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 Chillicothe flood?

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

134paid claims since 1979

$1.4Mpaid to owners

16homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 8 claims, $300K
Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $5K
Early winter storms: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (5) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Peoria County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

21flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Chillicothe

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChillicotheDeclared for Peoria County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

68 households applied for aid $138K aid approved $17K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$9K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

19 households applied for aid $31K aid approved

2006

Snow

$9K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$4K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$6K to the City of Chillicothe for repairs

Peoria County has had 13 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Chillicothe

Chillicothe and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Romemostly inland floodingVery high

Chillicothemostly inland floodingHigh

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. Chillicothe covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chillicothe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chillicothe. 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 Chillicothe total about $2.9M 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.