Natural hazards · McHenry

McHenry, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in McHenry comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 173 claims here since 1978. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is McHenry?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in McHenry to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding67%Cold waves14%Tornadoes14%Everything else5%

By hazard

What McHenry faces

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

Inland flooding

67% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% 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 McHenry flood?

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

173paid claims since 1978

$2.0Mpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 36 claims, $643K
Midwest Flooding: 7 claims, $26K
Tropical Storm Erin: 1 claim, $2K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: McHenry County.

Disasters that hit McHenry

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into McHenryDeclared for McHenry County only

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$2K to the Township of McHenry for repairs

McHenry County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around McHenry

McHenry and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

McHenrymostly inland floodingHigh

Grantmostly inland floodingHigh

Nundamostly inland floodingHigh

Waucondamostly inland floodingModerate

Bull Valleymostly inland floodingLow

Greenwoodmostly 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. McHenry covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to McHenry’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Township of McHenry. 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 McHenry total about $24.5M 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.