Natural hazards · Manhattan

Manhattan, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Manhattan comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1982. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Manhattan?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Manhattan to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding58%Cold waves21%Tornadoes17%Everything else5%

By hazard

What Manhattan faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

21% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 75 years in the area

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 Manhattan flood?

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

4paid claims since 1982

$46Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $10K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Manhattan 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 Manhattan

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ManhattanDeclared for Will County only

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$14K to the Township of Manhattan for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$5K to the Township of Manhattan for repairs

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

Around Manhattan

Manhattan and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Wiltonmostly inland floodingHigh

Green Gardenmostly inland floodingHigh

Frankfortmostly inland floodingModerate

Manhattanmostly inland floodingModerate

Jacksonmostly inland floodingLow

New Lenoxmostly 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. Manhattan covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Manhattan’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of Manhattan. 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 Manhattan total about $5.9M 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.