DeKalb County, Illinois: hazard risk
FEMA rates DeKalb County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 80.8 of 100, higher than 80% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 654 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.4 | $12M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.1 | $6.9M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.0 | $24M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | $1.4M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | $752K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.1 | $147K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 75.8 | $1.3M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 59.0 | $600K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.1 | $253K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.1 | $158K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 32.7 | $36K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 28.7 | $304 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 19.6 | $6K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 6.4 | $2K |
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 | 318 | 0 | $1.8M | 39th of 102 | 1012th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 89 | 0 | – | 75th of 102 | 1664th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 79 | 1 | $7K | 54th of 102 | 1198th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 47 | 0 | $8.2M | 82nd of 102 | 1389th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 0 | – | 34th of 102 | 598th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 29 | 2 | $12M | 79th of 102 | 1227th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 24 | 0 | $96K | 46th of 102 | 1399th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 16 | 0 | – | 53rd of 102 | 1476th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 9 | 0 | – | 83rd of 102 | 1196th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | – | 48th of 102 | 1375th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 4 | 0 | $37K | 32nd of 102 | 1046th 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 DeKalb County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.