Natural hazards · Monticello

Monticello, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Monticello comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 1993. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Monticello?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Monticello to be higher than in 70% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding57%Cold waves14%Tornadoes11%Strong wind6%Earthquakes6%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Monticello faces

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

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 57% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 89% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 35 years in the area

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Monticello flood?

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

7paid claims since 1993

$64Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19932026

Biggest named events

Midwest Flooding: 2 claims, $2K
Early winter storms: 1 claim, $7K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Piatt County.

Disasters that hit Monticello

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into MonticelloDeclared for Piatt County only

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$9K to the City of Monticello for repairs

Piatt County has had 7 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often ice storms and tornadoes.

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. Monticello covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Monticello’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Monticello. 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 Monticello total about $4.4M 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.