Natural hazards · Highwood

Highwood, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Highwood comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Highwood?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Highwood to be higher than in 8% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding37%Cold waves27%Tornadoes26%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Highwood faces

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

Inland flooding

37% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

27% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

26% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Highwood flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Highwood.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Highwood 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.

Disasters that hit Highwood

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into HighwoodDeclared for Lake County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$23K to the City of Highwood for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$14K to the City of Highwood for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$13K to the City of Highwood for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$11K to the City of Highwood for repairs

Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Highwood

Highwood and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Highland Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Lake Forestmostly inland floodingLow

Highwoodmostly 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. Highwood covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Highwood’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Highwood. 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 Highwood total about $1.2M 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.