Natural hazards · Pontiac

Pontiac, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Pontiac comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 189 claims here since 1979. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Pontiac?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Pontiac to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding80%Cold waves12%Everything else8%

By hazard

What Pontiac faces

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

Inland flooding

80% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Cold waves

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 59% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce 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 Pontiac flood?

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

189paid claims since 1979

$1.7Mpaid to owners

10homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Pontiac isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Livingston County.

Disasters that hit Pontiac

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into PontiacDeclared for Livingston County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

8 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$33K to the City of Pontiac for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

476 households applied for aid $1.6M aid approved

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$9K to the City of Pontiac for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$18K to the City of Pontiac for repairs

Livingston County has had 9 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

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. Pontiac covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Pontiac’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Pontiac. 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 Pontiac total about $5.7M 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.