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Christian County, Illinois

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

Relatively Low overall risk
54th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$22Mexpected losses a year
6federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Christian County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 54% of US counties. It ranks 54th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $22 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $644 per resident. Since 1999 it has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Only 18 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $198,000 on 14 claims here.

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

Top risks in Christian County

$6.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$5.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$4.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 285 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow41.5
$6M
Cold waveModerate82.0
$5M
EarthquakeLow87.2
$4M
DroughtHigh91.3
$2M
TornadoLow44.8
$1M
Heat waveLow68.2
$1M
Strong windModerate58.1
$847K
HailLow62.3
$504K
LightningLow44.5
$235K
Winter weatherLow45.8
$68K
Ice stormLow33.9
$48K
HurricaneVery Low32.0
$20K
WildfireVery Low9.0
$4K
LandslideVery Low47.1
$1K

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 very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Snowstorm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Severe Ice Storm1
Severe Storm1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2023Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Feb 9, 2007Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency

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 452 storm reports in Christian County since 1955, with 4 deaths and 29 injuries and about $134 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on December 1, 2018 near Palmer.

62tornadoes
114hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
224damaging thunderstorm winds
51floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 1, 2018EF3Palmer22 / 0
Mar 20, 1976F3–0 / 0
Dec 1, 2018EF2Stonington0 / 0
Feb 16, 1976F2–0 / 0
Apr 2, 1964F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 1, 2018TornadoPalmer$119M
Aug 26, 2014Flash FloodOsbernville$4M
Dec 1, 2018TornadoStonington$3M
Dec 27, 2015FloodSicily$3M
Jun 1, 1999TornadoMorrisonville$750K
Aug 12, 2019TornadoSharpsburg$705K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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 Christian County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (18 policies)
11.5%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$197,744paid on 14 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $164,865 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 Christian County

$115,500median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1963median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
75%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.3%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; 15,184 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
Macon CountyModerate9
Montgomery CountyLow5
Shelby CountyLow8

Common questions about Christian County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Christian County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Christian County, about $6.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $5.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Christian County had?

Christian County has been included in 6 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1999, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in August 2023.

Is Christian County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 54th 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 Christian County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Christian 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 Christian County had?

NOAA records list 62 tornadoes in Christian County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on December 1, 2018 near Palmer. The weather service has also logged 114 hail reports and 51 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.