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Clark County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
83rd of 102highest risk in Illinois
$9Mexpected losses a year
8federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Clark County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 73% of US counties. It ranks 83rd of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and drought. FEMA estimates about $8.8 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $572 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Only 6 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $209,000 on 18 claims here.

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

Top risks in Clark County

$3.5 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.
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 245 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Drought

Moderate
$857,129 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low31.0
$4M
EarthquakeLow80.9
$2M
DroughtModerate79.0
$857K
Cold waveLow45.6
$783K
TornadoLow37.8
$756K
Heat waveLow52.8
$418K
Strong windLow30.3
$288K
HailLow45.9
$219K
LightningVery Low22.6
$76K
Winter weatherLow49.4
$61K
Ice stormLow43.1
$60K
HurricaneVery Low40.0
$28K
LandslideLow76.7
$11K
WildfireVery Low8.1
$3K

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 Clark County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood3
Severe Storm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2023Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 10, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 238 storm reports in Clark County since 1958 and about $3.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on April 2, 2025 near Oilfield.

13tornadoes
65hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
121damaging thunderstorm winds
38floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 2, 2025EF2Oilfield0 / 0
Mar 20, 1976F1–0 / 0
Jun 2, 1990F1–0 / 0
May 16, 2025EF1York0 / 0
Apr 2, 2025EF1Livingston0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jun 26, 2013Flash FloodWestfield$2M
Jun 6, 2008FloodWestfield$500K
Jun 1, 1999TornadoWestfield$350K
Jun 4, 2014Thunderstorm WindCasey$100K
May 10, 2017Thunderstorm WindMarshall$75K
Apr 8, 2020Thunderstorm WindMartinsville$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 27, 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 Clark County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (6 policies)
5.9%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$208,531paid on 18 flood claims since 1978
2005costliest year, with $98,735 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 Clark County

$132,400median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1971median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
64%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
6.6%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; 7,307 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
Vigo County, INModerate14
Coles CountyLow7
Sullivan County, INVery Low17
Crawford CountyVery Low7
Edgar CountyVery Low7
Cumberland CountyVery Low7
Jasper CountyVery Low7

Common questions about Clark County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Clark County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clark County, about $3.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Clark County had?

Clark County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in August 2023.

Is Clark County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 83rd 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 Clark County?

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

NOAA records list 13 tornadoes in Clark County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on April 2, 2025 near Oilfield. The weather service has also logged 65 hail reports and 38 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.