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Natural hazards · Oak Forest

Oak Forest, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oak Forest comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 77 claims here since 1978. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Oak Forest?

48
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oak Forest to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding41%Cold waves31%Tornadoes16%Heat waves9%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Oak Forest faces

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

Inland flooding

41% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

31% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places
Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 Oak Forest flood?

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

77paid claims since 1978
$568Kpaid to owners
12homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $18K
  • Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $80K

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
No community discount. Oak Forest isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Cook County.
Disasters that hit Oak Forest

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Oak ForestDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

108 households applied for aid $312K aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

148 households applied for aid $315K aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

69 households applied for aid $122K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$69K to the City of Oak Forest for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

72 households applied for aid $155K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $32K aid approved
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$62K to the City of Oak Forest for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$42K to the City of Oak Forest for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Oak Forest

Oak Forest and the towns around it

Midlothian: High, mostly inland floodingCountry Club Hills: High, mostly inland floodingOrland Park: Low, mostly inland floodingMarkham: High, mostly inland floodingCrestwood: High, mostly inland floodingRobbins: High, mostly inland floodingHazel Crest: High, mostly inland floodingFlossmoor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOrland Hills: Low, mostly cold wavesTinley Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPalos Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOrland: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHomer Glen: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHomer: Low, mostly inland floodingFrankfort: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHarvey: Very high, mostly inland floodingPosen: Very high, mostly inland floodingOak Forest: Moderate, mostly inland flooding Oak ForestMidlothianCountry Club HillsOrland ParkMarkham
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Markhammostly inland floodingHigh
Midlothianmostly inland floodingHigh
Country Club Hillsmostly inland floodingHigh
Oak Forestmostly inland floodingModerate
Orland Parkmostly 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. Oak Forest covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oak Forest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Oak Forest. 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 Oak Forest total about $9.7M 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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