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Natural hazards · North Chicago

North Chicago, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in North Chicago comes from cold waves, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 79 claims here since 1981. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is North Chicago?

2
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in North Chicago to be higher than in 2% of U.S. communities, mostly from cold waves and tornadoes.

Cold waves32%Tornadoes28%Inland flooding28%Strong wind5%Everything else7%
By hazard

What North Chicago faces

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

Cold waves

32% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

28% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 71% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

28% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 61% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 North Chicago flood?

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

79paid claims since 1981
$336Kpaid to owners
9homes flooded more than once
19812026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $7K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. North Chicago isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Lake County.
Disasters that hit North Chicago

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into North ChicagoDeclared for Lake County only
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

378 households applied for aid $374K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$42K to the City of North Chicago for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $6K to the City of North Chicago for repairs
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$29K to the City of North Chicago for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $1K aid approved
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$17K to the City of North Chicago for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$21K to the City of North Chicago for repairs
Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.
Around North Chicago

North Chicago and the towns around it

Shields: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaukegan: Very low, mostly inland floodingLake Bluff: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaukegan: Very low, mostly inland floodingLibertyville: Low, mostly inland floodingLake Forest: Low, mostly inland floodingGreen Oaks: Very low, mostly inland floodingMoraine: Low, mostly inland floodingKnollwood: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Deerfield: High, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very low, mostly inland floodingBenton: Very low, mostly inland floodingPark City: Very low, mostly inland floodingGurnee: Low, mostly inland floodingBeach Park: Very low, mostly inland floodingWadsworth: Very low, mostly inland floodingNewport: Very low, mostly inland floodingFremont: Very low, mostly inland floodingVernon: Low, mostly inland floodingMundelein: Very low, mostly inland floodingGrayslake: Low, mostly inland floodingNorth Chicago: Very low, mostly cold waves North ChicagoShieldsWaukeganLake BluffWaukeganLibertyville
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Libertyvillemostly inland floodingLow
Waukeganmostly inland floodingVery low
Waukeganmostly inland floodingVery low
Lake Bluffmostly inland floodingVery low
Shieldsmostly inland floodingVery low
North Chicagomostly cold wavesVery 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. North Chicago covers 9 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to North Chicago’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of North Chicago. 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 North Chicago total about $5.5M 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.

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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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