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Natural hazards · Zion

Zion, IL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Zion comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 12 claims here since 1978. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is Zion?

7
Very low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Zion to be higher than in 7% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding31%Cold waves30%Tornadoes27%Strong wind5%Everything else7%
By hazard

What Zion faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

30% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 24% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

27% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Strong wind

5% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places
Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingHurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Zion flood?

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

12paid claims since 1978
$104Kpaid to owners
0homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Mid-spring storms: 2 claims, $58K
of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Zion 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 Zion

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ZionDeclared for Lake County only
2013

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

544 households applied for aid $930K aid approved
2011

Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm

$51K to the City of Zion for repairs
2008

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved
2008

Record Snow and Near Record Snow

$30K to the City of Zion for repairs
2007

Severe Storms and Flooding

5 households applied for aid $12K aid approved
2000

Illinois Winter Snow Storms

$16K to the City of Zion for repairs
1999

Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99

$18K to the City of Zion for repairs
Lake County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often winter storms and floods.
Around Zion

Zion and the towns around it

Zion: Very low, mostly inland floodingBenton: Very low, mostly inland floodingBeach Park: Very low, mostly inland floodingWadsworth: Very low, mostly inland floodingNewport: Very low, mostly inland floodingWinthrop Harbor: Very low, mostly inland floodingWaukegan: Very low, mostly inland floodingPleasant Prairie: Very low, mostly cold wavesWaukegan: Very low, mostly inland floodingWarren: Very low, mostly inland floodingGurnee: Low, mostly inland floodingAntioch: High, mostly inland floodingOld Mill Creek: Very low, mostly inland floodingLindenhurst: Low, mostly inland floodingBristol: Very low, mostly cold wavesLake Villa: Moderate, mostly inland floodingZion: Very low, mostly inland flooding ZionZionBentonBeach ParkWadsworthNewportWinthrop Harbor
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Wadsworthmostly inland floodingVery low
Newportmostly inland floodingVery low
Bentonmostly inland floodingVery low
Beach Parkmostly inland floodingVery low
Zionmostly inland floodingVery low
Zionmostly inland floodingVery low
Winthrop Harbormostly 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. Zion covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Zion’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Zion. 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 Zion total about $4.6M 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.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01
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