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Cass County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
71st of 102highest risk in Illinois
$12Mexpected losses a year
19federal declarations
1 in 40homes with flood insurance
Photo: Bold Frontiers, CC BY 2.0

Cass 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 71st of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, inland flooding and drought. FEMA estimates about $12 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $935 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in December 2021 (severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes). About 1 in 40 homes here carry federal flood insurance (126 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $980,000 on 167 claims here.

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

Top risks in Cass County

Cold wave

Moderate
$5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$3.3 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.

Drought

Moderate
$1.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Cold waveModerate84.8
$5M
Inland floodingVery Low28.1
$3M
DroughtModerate84.1
$1M
Strong windModerate62.2
$780K
Heat waveLow64.8
$731K
TornadoLow32.6
$602K
EarthquakeVery Low47.6
$248K
HailLow38.7
$172K
LightningVery Low16.6
$57K
Ice stormVery Low25.0
$24K
Winter weatherVery Low21.7
$20K
HurricaneVery Low15.6
$4K
LandslideVery Low55.4
$2K
WildfireVery Low0.3
$107

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 low 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 Cass County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood7
Severe Storm7
Snowstorm2
Tornado2
Hurricane1

Most recent

Dec 13, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesEmergency
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
Oct 3, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
May 6, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 30, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 19
Apr 26, 1994Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 22, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 6, 1983Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1982Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 30, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 211 storm reports in Cass County since 1955, with 1 death and 7 injuries and about $15.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on June 23, 1960.

18tornadoes
57hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
107damaging thunderstorm winds
29floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 23, 1960F2–1 / 0
Jul 27, 1973F2–0 / 0
Dec 10, 2021EF2Virginia0 / 0
Apr 8, 1999F1Ashland6 / 1
Dec 1, 2018EF1Beardstown0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 12, 1999Thunderstorm WindBeardstown$7M
Jun 22, 2010Thunderstorm WindBeardstown$4M
May 8, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$2M
Apr 8, 1999TornadoAshland$2M
Jun 23, 1960Tornado–$250K
Apr 20, 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$200K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 11, 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 Cass County

Check your address flood zone ›
2.5%of homes have federal flood insurance (126 policies)
18.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$979,590paid on 167 flood claims since 1978
1979costliest year, with $176,720 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 Cass County

$97,100median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1968median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
66%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
11%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; 5,676 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
Sangamon CountyModerate10
Morgan CountyLow15
Mason CountyLow16
Menard CountyVery Low10
Schuyler CountyVery Low16
Brown CountyVery Low14

Common questions about Cass County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cass County?

Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Cass County, about $5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Cass County had?

Cass County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in December 2021.

Is Cass County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 71st 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 Cass County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 40 homes in Cass 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 Cass County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Cass County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on June 23, 1960. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 29 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.