Natural hazards · Denison

Denison, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Denison comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Denison?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Denison to be higher than in 78% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding48%Earthquakes16%Drought14%Tornadoes8%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Denison faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Drought

14% of expected damage

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 10 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

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 Denison flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Denison.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lawrence County.

Disasters that hit Denison

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DenisonDeclared for Lawrence County only

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$2K to the Township of Denison for repairs

Lawrence County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

Around Denison

Denison and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lawrencemostly inland floodingVery high

Denisonmostly inland floodingHigh

St. Francisvillemostly inland floodingHigh

Lukinmostly inland floodingHigh

Allisonmostly inland floodingHigh

Vincennesmostly earthquakesModerate

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. Denison is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Denison’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Denison. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.