Natural hazards · Crete

Crete, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Crete comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Crete?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Crete to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding58%Tornadoes19%Cold waves18%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Crete faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

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 Crete flood?

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

13paid claims since 1979

$112Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $6K
Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $4K

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. Crete isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Will County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Crete

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CreteDeclared for Will County only

2024

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

232 households applied for aid $964K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

4 households applied for aid

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

146 households applied for aid $336K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$43K to the Village of Crete for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

111 households applied for aid $147K aid approved $19K to the Village of Crete for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

11 households applied for aid $34K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

3 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$15K to the Village of Crete for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$10K to the Village of Crete for repairs

Will County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Crete

Crete and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Bloommostly inland floodingHigh

University Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Cretemostly inland floodingModerate

Cretemostly inland floodingLow

Goodenowmostly inland floodingLow

Stegermostly 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. Crete covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Crete’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Crete. 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 Crete total about $4.5M 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.