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Natural hazards · Elmhurst

Elmhurst, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Elmhurst comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 248 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 Elmhurst?

62
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Elmhurst to be higher than in 62% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding64%Cold waves16%Tornadoes14%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Elmhurst faces

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

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

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 Elmhurst flood?

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

248paid claims since 1979
$3.1Mpaid to owners
17homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 45 claims, $903K
  • Hurricane Ike: 3 claims, $65K

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. Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ElmhurstDeclared for DuPage County only
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

717 households applied for aid $2.0M aid approved $237K to the City of Elmhurst for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$132K to the City of Elmhurst for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

774 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

46 households applied for aid $80K aid approved $31K to the City of Elmhurst for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$54K to the City of Elmhurst for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$66K to the City of Elmhurst for repairs
DuPage County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.
Around Elmhurst

Elmhurst and the towns around it

Villa Park: Low, mostly inland floodingOakbrook Terrace: Low, mostly inland floodingAddison: Low, mostly inland floodingYork: Low, mostly inland floodingProviso: High, mostly inland floodingBerkeley: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorthlake: High, mostly inland floodingOak Brook: Low, mostly inland floodingLombard: Low, mostly inland floodingAddison: Low, mostly inland floodingBloomingdale: Low, mostly inland floodingWood Dale: Very low, mostly inland floodingGlendale Heights: Very low, mostly inland floodingMilton: Moderate, mostly inland floodingDowners Grove: Low, mostly inland floodingWestmont: Very low, mostly inland floodingHinsdale: High, mostly inland floodingLeyden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRiver Forest: High, mostly inland floodingRiver Forest: High, mostly inland floodingLyons: High, mostly inland floodingMaywood: High, mostly inland floodingLa Grange Park: High, mostly inland floodingLa Grange: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Riverside: High, mostly inland floodingMelrose Park: High, mostly inland floodingRiverside: High, mostly inland floodingHillside: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBellwood: Very high, mostly inland floodingFranklin Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStone Park: Very high, mostly inland floodingDowners Grove: Low, mostly inland floodingElmhurst: High, mostly inland flooding ElmhurstVilla ParkOakbrook TerraceAddisonYorkProvisoBerkeleyNorthlakeOak Brook
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Northlakemostly inland floodingHigh
Provisomostly inland floodingHigh
Elmhurstmostly inland floodingHigh
Berkeleymostly inland floodingModerate
Yorkmostly inland floodingLow
Oak Brookmostly inland floodingLow
Villa Parkmostly inland floodingLow
Oakbrook Terracemostly inland floodingLow
Addisonmostly 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. Elmhurst covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Elmhurst’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Elmhurst. 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 Elmhurst total about $20.8M 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.

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