Natural hazards · Freeburg

Freeburg, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Freeburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 15 claims here since 1996. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Freeburg?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Freeburg to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding44%Earthquakes19%Heat waves11%Cold waves11%Tornadoes9%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Freeburg faces

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

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

19% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Heat waves

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 15 times a year in the area

Cold waves

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 20% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 42 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Freeburg flood?

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

15paid claims since 1996

$121Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19962026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 4 claims, $16K
Late July Flooding: 2 claims, $22K
March storm: 1 claim, $4K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: St. Clair County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Freeburg

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FreeburgDeclared for St. Clair County only

2024

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

18 households applied for aid $28K aid approved

2022

Severe Storm and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $300 aid approved

St. Clair County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Freeburg

Freeburg and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Engelmannmostly inland floodingHigh

New Athensmostly inland floodingHigh

Bellevillemostly earthquakesHigh

Freeburgmostly inland floodingHigh

Shiloh Valleymostly inland floodingHigh

Smithtonmostly earthquakesHigh

Freeburgmostly 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. Freeburg covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Freeburg’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Freeburg. 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 Freeburg total about $2.1M 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.