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Clinton County, Illinois

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

Relatively Low overall risk
39th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$28Mexpected losses a year
5federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Clinton County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 66% of US counties. It ranks 39th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $28 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $750 per resident. Since 1969 it has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (4 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2005 (Hurricane Katrina Evacuation). Only 39 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $646,000 on 29 claims here.

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

Top risks in Clinton County

$11.4 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.

Earthquake

Moderate
$7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 160 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.4 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow64.0
$11M
EarthquakeModerate91.2
$7M
TornadoModerate65.8
$2M
Cold waveModerate68.1
$2M
Strong windHigh84.6
$2M
Heat waveLow77.2
$1M
HailLow72.8
$701K
DroughtLow60.0
$308K
LightningLow54.6
$304K
Winter weatherLow41.6
$53K
HurricaneVery Low33.2
$20K
Ice stormVery Low18.8
$16K
WildfireVery Low7.9
$3K
LandslideVery Low45.0
$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 relatively 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 Clinton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood2
Severe Storm1
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1982Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 1969Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1956

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 358 storm reports in Clinton County since 1956, with 3 deaths and 0 injuries and about $32.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on February 25, 1956.

31tornadoes
96hail reports, largest 3 inches
206damaging thunderstorm winds
21floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 25, 1956F4–0 / 0
Dec 2, 1982F3–0 / 2
Apr 5, 1958F3–0 / 0
Dec 21, 1967F2–0 / 0
Mar 14, 2025EF2Trenton0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Dec 2, 1982Tornado–$25M
Feb 25, 1956Tornado–$3M
Dec 21, 1967Tornado–$3M
Mar 14, 2025TornadoTrenton$700K
Jun 10, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$500K
Apr 5, 1958Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 16, 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 Clinton County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (39 policies)
2.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$645,873paid on 29 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $353,142 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 Clinton County

$192,400median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1977median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.7%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; 15,765 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
Madison CountyModerate14
St. Clair CountyHigh17
Marion CountyLow6
Fayette CountyLow6
Bond CountyVery Low5
Washington CountyLow7

Common questions about Clinton County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Clinton County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clinton County, about $11.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $7 million.

How many federal disasters has Clinton County had?

Clinton County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1969, including 4 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Katrina Evacuation in September 2005.

Is Clinton County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 39th 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 Clinton County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Clinton 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 Clinton County had?

NOAA records list 31 tornadoes in Clinton County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on February 25, 1956. The weather service has also logged 96 hail reports and 21 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.