Natural hazards · Vernon Hills

Vernon Hills, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Vernon Hills comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2006. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Vernon Hills?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Vernon Hills to be higher than in 18% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes20%Cold waves16%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Vernon Hills faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

20% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

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 Vernon Hills flood?

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

1paid claims since 2006

$245paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20062026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lake County.

Disasters that hit Vernon Hills

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Vernon HillsDeclared for Lake County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$69K to the Village of Vernon Hills for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$65K to the Village of Vernon Hills for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$18K to the Village of Vernon Hills for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$23K to the Village of Vernon Hills for repairs

Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.

Around Vernon Hills

Vernon Hills and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Mettawamostly inland floodingModerate

Buffalo Grovemostly inland floodingModerate

Long Grovemostly inland floodingLow

Lincolnshiremostly inland floodingLow

Vernon Hillsmostly inland floodingVery low

Indian Creekmostly inland floodingVery low

Libertyvillemostly inland floodingVery low

Mundeleinmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Vernon Hills covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Vernon Hills’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Vernon Hills. 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 Vernon Hills total about $6.9M 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.