Bureau County, Illinois: hazard risk
FEMA rates Bureau County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 62.3 of 100, higher than 62% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by drought. Its storm record holds 832 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively High | 94.6 | $2.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | $4.2M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.5 | $885K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.1 | $1.1M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | $2.1M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.1 | $139K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.0 | $1.1M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 66.4 | $4K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.4 | $9.9M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.2 | $339K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 43.6 | $51K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 36.3 | $139K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 25.1 | $9K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 13.0 | $4K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 231 | 0 | $3.6M | 98th of 102 | 1946th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 227 | 1 | $119K | 45th of 102 | 943rd of 3,077 |
| Hail | 157 | 0 | $4.1M | 85th of 102 | 1884th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 47 | 1 | $17M | 72nd of 102 | 1079th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 37 | 0 | $399K | 59th of 102 | 1068th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 32 | 0 | $549K | 97th of 102 | 1923rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 28 | 0 | $61M | 70th of 102 | 1742nd of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 23 | 0 | $820K | 77th of 102 | 1938th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 9 | 0 | – | 102nd of 102 | 1810th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 5 | 0 | $140K | 38th of 102 | 1123rd of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | $160K | 54th of 102 | 1566th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Bureau County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.