Natural hazards · Freeport

Freeport, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Freeport comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 73 claims here since 1980. 3 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Freeport?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Freeport to be higher than in 67% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding61%Cold waves14%Tornadoes11%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Freeport faces

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

Inland flooding

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 26% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

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 Freeport flood?

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

73paid claims since 1980

$1.2Mpaid to owners

14homes flooded more than once

19802026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 5 claims, $40K

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. Freeport isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Stephenson County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

169flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Freeport

3 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into FreeportDeclared for Stephenson County only

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,505 households applied for aid $3.2M aid approved $49K to the City of Freeport for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$26K to the City of Freeport for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

256 households applied for aid $317K aid approved

Stephenson County has had 12 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around Freeport

Freeport and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Freeportmostly inland floodingHigh

Florencemostly inland floodingLow

Harlemmostly inland floodingLow

Lancastermostly inland floodingLow

Silver Creekmostly 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. Freeport covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Freeport’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Freeport. 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 Freeport total about $12.9M 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.