Natural hazards · Darien

Darien, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Darien comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 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 Darien?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Darien to be higher than in 24% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves22%Tornadoes20%Everything else10%

By hazard

What Darien faces

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

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 44% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

22% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% 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 Darien flood?

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

16paid claims since 1979

$134Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $14K

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

Insurance rates: DuPage County.

Disasters that hit Darien

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DarienDeclared for DuPage County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $141K aid approved $7K to the City of Darien for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$44K to the City of Darien for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

16 households applied for aid $21K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$23K to the City of Darien for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$19K to the City of Darien for repairs

DuPage County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Darien

Darien and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Willowbrookmostly inland floodingLow

Downers Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Darienmostly inland floodingLow

Woodridgemostly inland floodingLow

Westmontmostly inland floodingVery 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. Darien covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Darien’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Darien. 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 Darien total about $10.2M 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.