Natural hazards · Springfield

Springfield, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Springfield comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 43 claims here since 1979. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Springfield?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Springfield to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding38%Tornadoes18%Cold waves15%Earthquakes14%Heat waves8%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Springfield faces

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

Inland flooding

38% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 42% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Cold waves

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Heat waves

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 53% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Springfield flood?

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

43paid claims since 1979

$779Kpaid to owners

5homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Early winter storms: 2 claims, $178K
Hurricane Ike: 1 claim, $5K
Mid-spring storms: 1 claim, $34K

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. Springfield isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Sangamon County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

25flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

2storm safe rooms built

Disasters that hit Springfield

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SpringfieldDeclared for Sangamon County only

2023

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7.4M to the City of Springfield for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$241K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2006

Severe Winter Storm

$2.3M to the City of Springfield for repairs

2006

Tornadoes and Severe Storms

1,347 households applied for aid $823K aid approved $7.8M to the City of Springfield for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$4K to the City of Springfield for repairs

2002

Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

$138K to the City of Springfield for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$199K to the City of Springfield for repairs

Sangamon County has had 10 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

Around Springfield

Springfield and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Rochestermostly inland floodingModerate

Chathammostly inland floodingModerate

Cotton Hillmostly inland floodingModerate

Ballmostly inland floodingModerate

Springfieldmostly inland floodingModerate

Capitalmostly inland floodingModerate

Woodsidemostly inland floodingModerate

Curranmostly inland floodingLow

Clear Lakemostly inland floodingLow

Fancy Creekmostly inland floodingLow

Gardnermostly inland floodingLow

Shermanmostly inland floodingLow

Springfieldmostly 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. Springfield covers 31 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Springfield’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Springfield. 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 Springfield total about $51.5M 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.