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Natural Disasters in Illinois: History & Risk Data

106,073 recorded disaster events across 1,335 ZIP codes.

State Statistics

106,073
Total Events
$63B
Total Damage
61,375
Total Deaths
1,335
ZIP Codes

Event Timeline

016023204480664051950: 68 events, 15 deaths, $37.5M damage19501951: 34 events, 18 deaths, $39.1M damage1952: 20 events, 0 deaths, $2.2M damage1953: 40 events, 8 deaths, $386.2M damage1954: 81 events, 8 deaths, $10.5M damage1955: 289 events, 0 deaths, $65.6M damage1956: 323 events, 36 deaths, $68.8M damage1957: 359 events, 89 deaths, $121.8M damage19571958: 317 events, 10 deaths, $66.6M damage1959: 243 events, 3 deaths, $25.5M damage1960: 363 events, 0 deaths, $32.5M damage1961: 402 events, 43 deaths, $1029.7M damage1962: 192 events, 0 deaths, $6.9M damage1963: 449 events, 13 deaths, $41.3M damage1964: 183 events, 0 deaths, $0.8M damage19641965: 441 events, 62 deaths, $642.0M damage1966: 241 events, 17 deaths, $14.9M damage1967: 528 events, 836 deaths, $696.5M damage1968: 181 events, 48 deaths, $54.9M damage1969: 152 events, 0 deaths, $4.3M damage1970: 203 events, 0 deaths, $5.6M damage1971: 224 events, 3 deaths, $19.6M damage19711972: 407 events, 31 deaths, $205.7M damage1973: 419 events, 0 deaths, $66.7M damage1974: 788 events, 14 deaths, $124.9M damage1975: 788 events, 10 deaths, $186.3M damage1976: 454 events, 76 deaths, $296.8M damage1977: 383 events, 30 deaths, $60.0M damage1978: 350 events, 5 deaths, $17.7M damage19781979: 156 events, 0 deaths, $13.8M damage1980: 358 events, 0 deaths, $42.0M damage1981: 428 events, 5 deaths, $262.9M damage1982: 431 events, 126 deaths, $2895.4M damage1983: 310 events, 0 deaths, $348.6M damage1984: 509 events, 7 deaths, $74.3M damage1985: 421 events, 5 deaths, $38.2M damage19851986: 325 events, 5 deaths, $48.1M damage1987: 466 events, 0 deaths, $8.1M damage1988: 374 events, 0 deaths, $74.4M damage1989: 409 events, 13 deaths, $140.3M damage1990: 589 events, 221 deaths, $1951.3M damage1991: 532 events, 0 deaths, $877.1M damage1992: 509 events, 0 deaths, $14.3M damage19921993: 45 events, 0 deaths, $5.3M damage1994: 41 events, 0 deaths, $45.9M damage1995: 93 events, 0 deaths, $148.2M damage1996: 1807 events, 1040 deaths, $389.7M damage1997: 2210 events, 3770 deaths, $77.0M damage1998: 1948 events, 1748 deaths, $153.3M damage1999: 2042 events, 12651 deaths, $227.7M damage19992000: 1750 events, 109 deaths, $107.1M damage2001: 1567 events, 3897 deaths, $133.4M damage2002: 2147 events, 4403 deaths, $273.4M damage2003: 3972 events, 796 deaths, $999.3M damage2004: 3124 events, 1583 deaths, $190.9M damage2005: 2338 events, 1059 deaths, $318.2M damage2006: 4762 events, 5096 deaths, $1013.5M damage20062007: 2094 events, 2212 deaths, $428.0M damage2008: 4807 events, 2812 deaths, $1774.8M damage2009: 3246 events, 1638 deaths, $2507.2M damage2010: 4143 events, 2256 deaths, $3362.5M damage2011: 6405 events, 3857 deaths, $2685.6M damage2012: 3640 events, 3871 deaths, $150.8M damage2013: 4455 events, 2339 deaths, $13905.6M damage20132014: 3866 events, 1938 deaths, $2213.1M damage2015: 3133 events, 1005 deaths, $443.8M damage2016: 1938 events, 574 deaths, $103.3M damage2017: 2911 events, 68 deaths, $330.0M damage2018: 1822 events, 348 deaths, $889.3M damage2019: 2082 events, 132 deaths, $319.3M damage2020: 2513 events, 113 deaths, $2825.1M damage20202021: 1092 events, 95 deaths, $206.5M damage2022: 1845 events, 17 deaths, $511.1M damage2023: 5399 events, 57 deaths, $8132.2M damage2024: 4117 events, 80 deaths, $98.4M damage2025: 3980 events, 54 deaths, $6943.6M damage
Events (no fatalities) Events with fatalities

Hazard Breakdown

⛈️hail
52.7K events·0 deaths·$1.9B
Low:48.2K
Moderate:3.9K
High:439
Severe:146
🥶cold
12.5K events·17,123 deaths·$482.9M
Low:10.1K
Moderate:36
High:64
Severe:2.3K
🌪️tornado
11.9K events·2,113 deaths·$25.2B
Low:7.2K
Moderate:3.3K
High:988
Severe:367
💨wind
8.4K events·105 deaths·$3.2B
Low:7.5K
Moderate:744
High:65
Severe:12
🌡️heat
8.3K events·38,807 deaths·$83.7M
Low:3.2K
High:2K
Severe:3K
🌊flood
6.9K events·348 deaths·$30.7B
Low:1.4K
Moderate:1.2K
High:1.7K
Severe:2.6K
❄️blizzard
5K events·2,879 deaths·$1.6B
Low:1.6K
Moderate:781
High:719
Severe:1.8K
🌍earthquake
412 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:330
Moderate:68
High:14
🔥wildfire
9 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:9

Most Affected ZIP Codes in Illinois

60714 299 events 62040 292 events 60016 285 events 60025 284 events 60068 280 events 60638 278 events 60634 274 events 60631 273 events 60053 273 events 60646 272 events

📊 Illinois Disaster Profile

With 106,073 recorded natural disaster events across 1,335 ZIP codes, Illinois carries a substantial history of natural hazard activity. The cumulative documented property damage stands at $63B. A total of 61,375 fatalities have been attributed to natural disasters in the state.

⚠️ Hazard Distribution

Hailstorms lead Illinois's disaster profile with 52,748 events (50%), causing $1.9B in property damage. Other significant hazards include extreme cold events (12,513 events, $482.9M in damages), tornadoes (11,854 events, $25.2B in damages), and severe wind events (8,369 events, $3.2B in damages). Illinois has no recorded hurricanes in the dataset.

📍 Geographic Impact

The most disaster-affected areas in Illinois include ZIP 60714 (299 events, $56M in damages), ZIP 62040 (292 events, $123.6M in damages), and ZIP 60016 (285 events, $55.3M in damages).

📈 Trends Over Time

Disaster frequency in Illinois has increased markedly over time. The average annual event count in recent decades is roughly 661% higher than in earlier periods of the record. The year 2011 stands out as particularly active, with 6,405 events recorded — likely driven by a major weather system or disaster season.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Illinois

What natural disasters occur in Illinois?

Illinois has experienced 106,073 documented natural disaster events. The hazard types recorded include hailstorms (52,748), extreme cold events (12,513), tornadoes (11,854), severe wind events (8,369), extreme heat events (8,255), floods (6,940), blizzards (4,973), earthquakes (412), and wildfires (9). The most common hazard is hailstorms, accounting for 50% of all events.

What are the most disaster-prone areas in Illinois?

Based on historical records, the most disaster-affected ZIP codes in Illinois are ZIP 60714 (299 events), ZIP 62040 (292 events), ZIP 60016 (285 events), ZIP 60025 (284 events), and ZIP 60068 (280 events). These areas have the highest concentration of recorded natural disaster events in the state.

How much damage have natural disasters caused in Illinois?

Natural disasters have caused a documented $63B in property damage across Illinois. This total is based on records from FEMA, NOAA, and USGS, covering events from the 1950s onward. The actual figure is likely higher, as not all events have complete damage records.

About This Data

State-level data aggregated from FEMA (disaster declarations, NFIP flood claims), NOAA Storm Events Database, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and NIFC wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source, with most records beginning in the 1950s–1970s. Full methodology →

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