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Carroll County, Illinois

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
70th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$11Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Carroll County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 61% of US counties. It ranks 70th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $691 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2019 (severe storms and flooding). Only 15 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $765,000 on 57 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Carroll County

$5.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
$1.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow46.5
$5M
TornadoLow55.9
$1M
Cold waveLow56.6
$1M
DroughtModerate84.8
$1M
Strong windModerate74.5
$985K
HailModerate73.1
$578K
Heat waveVery Low36.0
$168K
EarthquakeVery Low31.6
$80K
Ice stormLow45.1
$60K
LightningVery Low18.0
$55K
Winter weatherLow30.4
$27K
LandslideLow76.9
$10K
WildfireVery Low13.1
$4K
HurricaneVery Low12.1
$2K

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively moderate and community resilience is relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Carroll County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood7
Snowstorm3
Severe Storm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 19, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 10, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Aug 19, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 13, 2008Record Snow and Near Record SnowEmergency
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 9, 2001FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 30, 1981Severe Storms, Flooding & TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 16, 1979Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Show all 14
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 6, 1969FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 25, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Illinois also had 2 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1950

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 369 storm reports in Carroll County since 1950, with 0 deaths and 15 injuries and about $17.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 9, 1995 near Albany.

23tornadoes
75hail reports, largest 3 inches
212damaging thunderstorm winds
45floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 9, 1995F3Albany0 / 0
Jan 24, 1967F3–12 / 0
Sep 26, 1959F2–0 / 0
Apr 18, 1955F2–0 / 0
Jun 12, 2013EF2Savanna1 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 24, 2010Flash FloodLanark$10M
May 9, 1995TornadoAlbany$2M
Jun 23, 1996Thunderstorm WindChadwick$1M
Jul 23, 2010Flash FloodMarcus$1M
Apr 5, 2010Thunderstorm WindMilledgeville$750K
Jan 24, 1967Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Flood insurance in Carroll County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (15 policies)
6.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$765,189paid on 57 flood claims since 1978
2010costliest year, with $388,692 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Carroll County

$114,500median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1957median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
71%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
3.3%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 8,204 housing units.

Compare in Illinois

All 102 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Cook CountyVery HighInland flooding
DuPage CountyHighInland flooding
Lake CountyHighInland flooding
Will CountyHighInland flooding
Kane CountyHighInland flooding
McHenry CountyModerateInland flooding
Winnebago CountyModerateInland flooding
Madison CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Whiteside CountyLow12
Ogle CountyLow12
Clinton County, IALow20
Stephenson CountyLow12
Jo Daviess CountyLow14
Jackson County, IAVery Low19

Common questions about Carroll County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Carroll County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Carroll County, about $5.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Carroll County had?

Carroll County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in September 2019.

Is Carroll County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 70th highest of 102 in Illinois. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Carroll County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Carroll County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Carroll County had?

NOAA records list 23 tornadoes in Carroll County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 9, 1995 near Albany. The weather service has also logged 75 hail reports and 45 floods here.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.