Natural hazards · Harvey

Harvey, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Harvey comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 381 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Harvey?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Harvey to be higher than in 85% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding66%Cold waves16%Tornadoes10%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Harvey faces

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

Inland flooding

66% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Harvey flood?

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

381paid claims since 1979

$1.4Mpaid to owners

36homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 36 claims, $227K
Mid-spring storms: 26 claims, $180K
Midwest Flooding: 1 claim, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Harvey 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

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Harvey

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HarveyDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

1,026 households applied for aid $4.2M aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

2,675 households applied for aid $7.7M aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

1,753 households applied for aid $2.6M aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$30K to the City of Harvey for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,868 households applied for aid $4.2M aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,814 households applied for aid $2.3M aid approved $13K to the City of Harvey for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$18K to the City of Harvey for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$23K to the City of Harvey for repairs

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

Around Harvey

Harvey and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Doltonmostly inland floodingVery high

Posenmostly inland floodingVery high

South Hollandmostly inland floodingVery high

Dixmoormostly inland floodingVery high

Harveymostly inland floodingVery high

Hazel Crestmostly inland floodingHigh

Phoenixmostly inland floodingHigh

Markhammostly inland floodingHigh

East Hazel Crestmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Harvey covers 7 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Harvey’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Harvey. 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 Harvey total about $15.5M 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.