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Natural hazards · Fox Lake

Fox Lake, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Fox Lake comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 259 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Fox Lake?

84
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Fox Lake to be higher than in 84% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding77%Tornadoes10%Cold waves10%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Fox Lake faces

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

Inland flooding

77% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 96% 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

10% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

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 Fox Lake flood?

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

259paid claims since 1979
$3.4Mpaid to owners
41homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 49 claims, $1.2M
  • Midwest Flooding: 5 claims, $42K
  • Tropical Storm Erin: 2 claims, $17K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (7) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Fox Lake isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Lake County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8homes raised above flood level
7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Fox Lake

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Fox LakeDeclared for Lake County only
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

70 households applied for aid $92K aid approved $55K to the Village of Fox Lake for repairs
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$29K to the Village of Fox Lake for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

30 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $56K to the Village of Fox Lake for repairs
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$28K to the Village of Fox Lake for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

21 households applied for aid $12K aid approved
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$10K to the Village of Fox Lake for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$12K to the Village of Fox Lake for repairs
Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.
Around Fox Lake

Fox Lake and the towns around it

Spring Grove: Low, mostly inland floodingVolo: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBurton: Very low, mostly inland floodingAntioch: High, mostly inland floodingPistakee Highlands: Very high, mostly inland floodingLakemoor: Very high, mostly inland floodingGrant: High, mostly inland floodingWauconda: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRound Lake: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRichmond: Low, mostly inland floodingRandall: Low, mostly inland floodingLake Villa: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNewport: Very low, mostly inland floodingBristol: Very low, mostly cold wavesSalem Lakes: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFox Lake: Very high, mostly inland flooding Fox LakeSpring GroveVoloBurtonAntioch
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Fox Lakemostly inland floodingVery high
Antiochmostly inland floodingHigh
Volomostly inland floodingModerate
Spring Grovemostly inland floodingLow
Burtonmostly 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. Fox Lake covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Fox Lake’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Fox Lake. 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 Fox Lake total about $5.0M 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.

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