Natural hazards · Deerfield

Deerfield, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Deerfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 135 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Deerfield?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Deerfield to be higher than in 75% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding76%Tornadoes10%Cold waves9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Deerfield faces

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

Inland flooding

76% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 25% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Deerfield flood?

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

135paid claims since 1978

$1.4Mpaid to owners

11homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 4 claims, $39K
Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $1K

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

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Deerfield is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lake County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Deerfield

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DeerfieldDeclared for Lake County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

12 households applied for aid $21K aid approved $6K to the Village of Deerfield for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$51K to the Village of Deerfield for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $2K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$29K to the Village of Deerfield for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$35K to the Village of Deerfield for repairs

Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Deerfield

Deerfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Deerfieldmostly inland floodingHigh

Riverwoodsmostly inland floodingHigh

Bannockburnmostly inland floodingHigh

Northbrookmostly inland floodingModerate

Highland Parkmostly 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. Deerfield covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Deerfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Deerfield. 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 Deerfield total about $8.7M 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.