Natural hazards · South Elgin

South Elgin, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in South Elgin comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 48 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is South Elgin?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in South Elgin to be higher than in 50% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding52%Cold waves26%Tornadoes17%Everything else5%

By hazard

What South Elgin faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

26% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce 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 South Elgin flood?

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

48paid claims since 1978

$618Kpaid to owners

8homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Mid-spring storms: 8 claims, $144K
Tropical Storm Erin: 2 claims, $12K
Hurricane Ike: 2 claims, $12K

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

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. South Elgin is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Kane County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit South Elgin

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into South ElginDeclared for Kane County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

20 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$59K to the Village of South Elgin for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

60 households applied for aid $119K aid approved

2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

25 households applied for aid $63K aid approved $28K to the Village of South Elgin for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$21K to the Village of South Elgin for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$13K to the Village of South Elgin for repairs

Kane County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often floods and winter storms.

Around South Elgin

South Elgin and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

South Elginmostly inland floodingModerate

Elginmostly inland floodingModerate

St. Charlesmostly inland floodingModerate

Bartlettmostly 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. South Elgin covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to South Elgin’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of South Elgin. 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 South Elgin total about $7.2M 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.