Natural hazards · Forest Park

Forest Park, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Forest Park comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1980. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Forest Park?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Forest Park to be higher than in 65% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding54%Cold waves24%Tornadoes12%Heat waves7%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Forest Park faces

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

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Forest Park flood?

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

4paid claims since 1980

$23Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $8K
Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $3K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cook County.

Disasters that hit Forest Park

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Forest ParkDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

47 households applied for aid $146K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

181 households applied for aid $496K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

186 households applied for aid $245K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$45K to the Village of Forest Park for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

891 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

33 households applied for aid $18K aid approved $10K to the Village of Forest Park for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$6K to the Village of Forest Park for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$20K to the Village of Forest Park for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$16K to the Village of Forest Park for repairs

Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Forest Park

Forest Park and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Provisomostly inland floodingHigh

Maywoodmostly inland floodingHigh

North Riversidemostly inland floodingHigh

River Forestmostly inland floodingHigh

Forest Parkmostly inland floodingHigh

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. Forest Park covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Forest Park’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Forest Park. 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 Forest Park total about $8.0M 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.