Natural hazards · Sparta

Sparta, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Sparta comes from earthquakes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. 1 federal disaster brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Sparta?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Sparta to be higher than in 71% of U.S. communities, mostly from earthquakes and inland flooding.

Earthquakes35%Inland flooding23%Tornadoes12%Heat waves9%Cold waves8%Strong wind8%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Sparta faces

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

Earthquakes

35% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

23% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Heat waves

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Cold waves

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Sparta flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Sparta.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Randolph County.

Disasters that hit Sparta

1 federal disaster brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpartaDeclared for Randolph County only

2011

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

Randolph County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe 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. Sparta covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Sparta’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Sparta. 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 Sparta total about $3.9M 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.