Natural hazards · Palos Heights

Palos Heights, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Palos Heights comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 9 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 Palos Heights?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Palos Heights to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding68%Cold waves16%Tornadoes9%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Palos Heights faces

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

Inland flooding

68% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% 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 81% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Palos Heights flood?

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

9paid claims since 1978

$35Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19782026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Palos Heights 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 Palos Heights

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Palos HeightsDeclared for Cook County only

2024

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

16 households applied for aid $23K aid approved

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

45 households applied for aid $168K aid approved

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$28K to the City of Palos Heights for repairs

2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

22 households applied for aid $70K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $7K aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$10K to the City of Palos Heights for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$13K to the City of Palos Heights for repairs

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

Around Palos Heights

Palos Heights and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Palos Hillsmostly inland floodingVery high

Palos Heightsmostly inland floodingVery high

Worthmostly inland floodingHigh

Palos Parkmostly 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. Palos Heights covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Palos Heights’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Palos Heights. 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 Palos Heights total about $10.0M 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.