Natural hazards · Northfield

Northfield, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Northfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 135 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Northfield?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Northfield to be higher than in 53% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding63%Cold waves17%Tornadoes12%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Northfield faces

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

Inland flooding

63% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

17% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% 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

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 Northfield flood?

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

135paid claims since 1979

$1.6Mpaid to owners

21homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Ike: 30 claims, $787K
Mid-spring storms: 20 claims, $228K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Northfield is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Cook County.

Disasters that hit Northfield

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into NorthfieldDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

2 households applied for aid

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

14 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$16K to the Village of Northfield for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

28 households applied for aid $107K aid approved $36K to the Village of Northfield for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$111K to the Village of Northfield for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$6K to the Village of Northfield for repairs

Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.

Around Northfield

Northfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Glenviewmostly inland floodingHigh

Wilmettemostly inland floodingModerate

Northbrookmostly inland floodingModerate

Northfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Winnetkamostly inland floodingLow

Glencoemostly inland floodingVery 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. Northfield covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Northfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Northfield. 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 Northfield total about $6.5M 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.