Natural hazards · Glenwood

Glenwood, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Glenwood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 19 claims here since 1981. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Glenwood?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Glenwood to be higher than in 58% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding48%Cold waves26%Tornadoes15%Heat waves8%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Glenwood faces

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

Inland flooding

48% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

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

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% 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 Glenwood flood?

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

19paid claims since 1981

$141Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $5K

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. Glenwood 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

9flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Glenwood

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GlenwoodDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

425 households applied for aid $1.3M aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

550 households applied for aid $1.4M aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

332 households applied for aid $670K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$18K to the Village of Glenwood for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

283 households applied for aid $853K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

336 households applied for aid $446K aid approved $11K to the Village of Glenwood for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$9K to the Village of Glenwood for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$20K to the Village of Glenwood for repairs

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

Around Glenwood

Glenwood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Lynwoodmostly inland floodingVery high

Homewoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Glenwoodmostly inland floodingModerate

Thorntonmostly inland floodingLow

Chicago Heightsmostly 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. Glenwood covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Glenwood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Glenwood. 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 Glenwood total about $4.5M 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.