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Crawford County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
73rd of 102highest risk in Illinois
$14Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Crawford County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 63% of US counties. It ranks 73rd of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $760 per resident. Since 1985 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2013 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Only 20 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $538,000 on 26 claims here.

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

Top risks in Crawford County

$6.7 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.
$3.4 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 195 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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 floodingLow43.7
$7M
EarthquakeLow84.8
$3M
TornadoLow44.4
$1M
DroughtModerate71.7
$710K
Cold waveLow33.6
$607K
Heat waveLow55.4
$587K
Strong windLow38.8
$488K
HailLow47.0
$284K
LightningVery Low22.6
$95K
Winter weatherLow44.6
$66K
Ice stormLow33.5
$47K
HurricaneVery Low24.8
$11K
LandslideVery Low48.9
$2K
WildfireVery Low2.0
$917

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Flood2
Severe Storm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

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
May 6, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1959

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 294 storm reports in Crawford County since 1959, with 6 deaths and 12 injuries and about $6.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF3 tornado on March 31, 2023 near Pierceburg.

27tornadoes
73hail reports, largest 3 inches
141damaging thunderstorm winds
52floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 31, 2023EF3Pierceburg8 / 3
May 25, 2011EF2New Hebron0 / 0
May 30, 1974F2–0 / 0
Feb 19, 2026EF1Hardinville1 / 0
Feb 10, 1959F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 7, 2000Flash FloodRobinson$1M
Sep 10, 2000Flash FloodRobinson$1M
May 25, 2011TornadoNew Hebron$920K
Apr 16, 2006Thunderstorm WindRobinson$775K
Feb 19, 2026TornadoHardinville$500K
Jun 6, 2008FloodBellair$300K

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 Crawford County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (20 policies)
10.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$537,701paid on 26 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $376,801 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 Crawford County

$121,100median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1965median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
70%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.5%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; 8,457 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
Knox County, INLow16
Sullivan County, INVery Low17
Richland CountyLow6
Clark CountyVery Low8
Lawrence CountyLow7
Jasper CountyVery Low7

Common questions about Crawford County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Crawford County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Crawford County, about $6.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $3.4 million.

How many federal disasters has Crawford County had?

Crawford County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1985, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in May 2013.

Is Crawford County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 73rd 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 Crawford County?

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

NOAA records list 27 tornadoes in Crawford County since 1950. The strongest was an EF3 tornado on March 31, 2023 near Pierceburg. The weather service has also logged 73 hail reports and 52 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.