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Natural hazards · Oak Lawn

Oak Lawn, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Oak Lawn comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 44 claims here since 1978. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Oak Lawn?

83
Very high
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Oak Lawn to be higher than in 83% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding63%Cold waves20%Tornadoes9%Heat waves5%Everything else3%
By hazard

What Oak Lawn 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 95% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

20% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% 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 Oak Lawn flood?

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

44paid claims since 1978
$611Kpaid to owners
7homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $25K
  • Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $42K

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 Lawn 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 Lawn

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Oak LawnDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

166 households applied for aid $392K aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

349 households applied for aid $767K aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

143 households applied for aid $335K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$175K to the Village of Oak Lawn for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

217 households applied for aid $489K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

59 households applied for aid $48K aid approved $67K to the Village of Oak Lawn for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$59K to the Village of Oak Lawn for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$50K to the Village of Oak Lawn for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$53K to the Village of Oak Lawn for repairs
Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and severe storms.
Around Oak Lawn

Oak Lawn and the towns around it

Chicago Ridge: Very high, mostly inland floodingAlsip: High, mostly inland floodingBridgeview: Moderate, mostly inland floodingHometown: Moderate, mostly cold wavesWorth: Very high, mostly inland floodingChicago: Moderate, mostly inland floodingBurbank: High, mostly inland floodingStickney: High, mostly inland floodingWorth: High, mostly inland floodingPalos: High, mostly inland floodingBlue Island: Very high, mostly inland floodingCrestwood: High, mostly inland floodingBedford Park: Low, mostly inland floodingJustice: Very high, mostly inland floodingHickory Hills: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPalos Hills: Very high, mostly inland floodingLyons: High, mostly inland floodingMerrionette Park: Very high, mostly inland floodingEvergreen Park: High, mostly inland floodingCalumet: Very high, mostly inland floodingBremen: High, mostly inland floodingLeyden: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMaine: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRosemont: Low, mostly inland floodingSchiller Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNiles: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPark Ridge: Moderate, mostly inland floodingElk Grove: Moderate, mostly inland floodingNiles: Low, mostly inland floodingDes Plaines: Moderate, mostly inland floodingStickney: Very high, mostly inland floodingForest View: High, mostly inland floodingCicero: High, mostly inland floodingSummit: High, mostly inland floodingLyons: Very high, mostly inland floodingOak Lawn: Very high, mostly inland flooding Oak LawnChicago RidgeAlsipBridgeviewHometownWorthChicagoBurbankStickney
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Chicago Ridgemostly inland floodingVery high
Oak Lawnmostly inland floodingVery high
Worthmostly inland floodingVery high
Alsipmostly inland floodingHigh
Stickneymostly inland floodingHigh
Burbankmostly inland floodingHigh
Bridgeviewmostly inland floodingModerate
Hometownmostly cold wavesModerate
Chicagomostly 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. Oak Lawn covers 13 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Oak Lawn’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Oak Lawn. 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 Lawn total about $41.1M 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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