Natural hazards · Wauconda

Wauconda, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Wauconda comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 22 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 Wauconda?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Wauconda to be higher than in 52% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding62%Tornadoes16%Cold waves16%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Wauconda faces

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

Inland flooding

62% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% 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 Wauconda flood?

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

22paid claims since 1978

$159Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

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. Wauconda 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.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

45flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Wauconda

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WaucondaDeclared for Lake County only

2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

3 households applied for aid $19K aid approved $12K to the Village of Wauconda for repairs

2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$44K to the Village of Wauconda for repairs

2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

$10K to the Village of Wauconda for repairs

2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$22K to the Village of Wauconda for repairs

2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$10K to the Village of Wauconda for repairs

1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$16K to the Village of Wauconda for repairs

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

Around Wauconda

Wauconda and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Waucondamostly inland floodingModerate

Lake Barringtonmostly inland floodingLow

Fremontmostly 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. Wauconda covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Wauconda’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Village of Wauconda. 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 Wauconda total about $1.5M 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.