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Natural hazards · Melrose Park

Melrose Park, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Melrose Park comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 374 claims here since 1979. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Melrose Park?

63
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Melrose Park to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding53%Cold waves24%Tornadoes12%Heat waves7%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Melrose Park 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
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

24% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Heat waves

7% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Melrose Park flood?

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

374paid claims since 1979
$5.2Mpaid to owners
64homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 67 claims, $943K
  • Hurricane Ike: 27 claims, $251K

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (2) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Melrose Park is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.
Insurance rates: Cook County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

8flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit Melrose Park

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Melrose Park itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Village of Melrose Park.

Brought FEMA money into Melrose ParkDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

42 households applied for aid $80K aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

99 households applied for aid $277K aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

703 households applied for aid $1.7M aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$57K to the Village of Melrose Park for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,714 households applied for aid $5.8M aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

280 households applied for aid $601K aid approved $123K to the Village of Melrose Park for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$64K to the Village of Melrose Park for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$18K to the Village of Melrose Park for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$49K to the Village of Melrose Park for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Melrose Park

Melrose Park and the towns around it

Stone Park: Very high, mostly inland floodingNorthlake: High, mostly inland floodingRiver Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFranklin Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMaywood: High, mostly inland floodingBellwood: Very high, mostly inland floodingRiver Forest: High, mostly inland floodingRiver Forest: High, mostly inland floodingProviso: High, mostly inland floodingBerkeley: Moderate, mostly inland floodingElmhurst: High, mostly inland floodingYork: Low, mostly inland floodingElmwood Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSchiller Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChicago: Moderate, mostly inland floodingLeyden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBensenville: Moderate, mostly inland floodingForest Park: High, mostly inland floodingBroadview: High, mostly inland floodingHillside: Moderate, mostly inland floodingWestchester: High, mostly inland floodingLyons: High, mostly inland floodingLa Grange Park: High, mostly inland floodingLa Grange: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNorth Riverside: High, mostly inland floodingRiverside: High, mostly inland floodingMelrose Park: High, mostly inland flooding Melrose ParkStone ParkNorthlakeRiver GroveFranklin ParkMaywoodBellwoodRiver ForestRiver ForestProvisoBerkeley
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Stone Parkmostly inland floodingVery high
Bellwoodmostly inland floodingVery high
Northlakemostly inland floodingHigh
Provisomostly inland floodingHigh
Maywoodmostly inland floodingHigh
River Forestmostly inland floodingHigh
River Forestmostly inland floodingHigh
Melrose Parkmostly inland floodingHigh
River Grovemostly inland floodingModerate
Franklin Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Berkeleymostly 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. Melrose Park covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Melrose Park’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Melrose Park. 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 Melrose Park total about $12.3M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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