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Natural hazards · Park Forest

Park Forest, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Park Forest comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1981. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Park Forest?

46
Moderate
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Park Forest to be higher than in 46% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding35%Cold waves33%Tornadoes18%Heat waves10%Everything else4%
By hazard

What Park Forest faces

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

Inland flooding

35% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 67% of U.S. places
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

33% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Heat waves

10% 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 weatherEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingWildfireAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Park Forest flood?

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

6paid claims since 1981
$18Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19812026
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Park 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 Park Forest

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Park ForestDeclared for Cook County only
2024

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

735 households applied for aid $2.2M aid approved
2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,224 households applied for aid $3.7M aid approved
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

627 households applied for aid $1.1M aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$42K to the Village of Park Forest for repairs
2010

Severe Storms and Flooding

539 households applied for aid $850K aid approved
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

550 households applied for aid $539K aid approved $4K to the Village of Park Forest for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

$11K to the Village of Park Forest for repairs
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$19K to the Village of Park Forest for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

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

Park Forest and the towns around it

University Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMatteson: Moderate, mostly inland floodingRichton Park: Moderate, mostly inland floodingOlympia Fields: Moderate, mostly inland floodingChicago Heights: Low, mostly inland floodingMonee: Moderate, mostly inland floodingMonee: Low, mostly inland floodingCrete: Low, mostly inland floodingRich: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFrankfort: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFrankfort Square: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFrankfort: Moderate, mostly inland floodingFlossmoor: Moderate, mostly inland floodingGlenwood: Moderate, mostly inland floodingSouth Chicago Heights: Very low, mostly cold wavesSteger: Low, mostly inland floodingWill: High, mostly inland floodingGreen Garden: High, mostly inland floodingCrete: Moderate, mostly inland floodingPark Forest: Moderate, mostly inland flooding Park ForestUniversity ParkMattesonRichton ParkOlympia FieldsChicago HeightsMonee
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
University Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Mattesonmostly inland floodingModerate
Richton Parkmostly inland floodingModerate
Moneemostly inland floodingModerate
Park Forestmostly inland floodingModerate
Olympia Fieldsmostly inland floodingModerate
Chicago Heightsmostly 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. Park Forest covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Park Forest’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Park 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 Park Forest total about $6.6M 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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