Natural hazards · Joliet

Joliet, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Joliet comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 630 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Joliet?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Joliet to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves23%Tornadoes18%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Joliet faces

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

Inland flooding

53% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

23% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% 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 Joliet flood?

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

630paid claims since 1978

$3.1Mpaid to owners

24homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 7 claims, $107K
Hurricane Ike: 7 claims, $120K
Tropical Storm Erin: 1 claim, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (6) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Will County.

Disasters that hit Joliet

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into JolietDeclared for Will County only

2024

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

1,214 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

12 households applied for aid

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

670 households applied for aid $936K aid approved $53K to the City of Joliet for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$443K to the City of Joliet for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

457 households applied for aid $508K aid approved $17K to the City of Joliet for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

196 households applied for aid $361K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

357 households applied for aid $310K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$126K to the City of Joliet for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$102K to the City of Joliet for repairs

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

Around Joliet

Joliet and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Crystal Lawnsmostly inland floodingHigh

Shorewoodmostly inland floodingHigh

Jolietmostly inland floodingModerate

Ingalls Parkmostly inland floodingModerate

Ridgewoodmostly inland floodingModerate

Plainfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Elwoodmostly inland floodingLow

Channahonmostly cold wavesLow

New Lenoxmostly inland floodingLow

Preston Heightsmostly inland floodingLow

Sunnylandmostly inland floodingVery low

Rockdalemostly inland floodingVery low

Crest Hillmostly 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. Joliet covers 40 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Joliet’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Joliet. 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 Joliet total about $64.1M 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.