Home › Illinois › Fulton County

Fulton County, Illinois

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

Relatively Low overall risk
45th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$21Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Fulton County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 45th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $21 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $632 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and floodng). Only 25 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.8 million on 369 claims here.

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

Top risks in Fulton County

$8.6 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
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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 floodingLow57.6
$9M
Cold waveModerate76.8
$3M
TornadoModerate74.0
$3M
EarthquakeLow78.8
$1M
HailModerate87.6
$1M
Heat waveLow76.7
$1M
Strong windModerate76.6
$1M
DroughtModerate65.8
$420K
Ice stormModerate73.7
$278K
LightningLow43.0
$186K
Winter weatherLow51.5
$69K
LandslideLow80.9
$18K
HurricaneVery Low23.8
$9K
WildfireVery Low4.9
$2K

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 Fulton County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood8
Snowstorm4
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Hurricane1

Most recent

Sep 20, 2024Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodngMajor disaster
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
Dec 29, 2006SnowEmergency
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 15, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 17, 2001Illinois Winter Snow StormsEmergency
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
Show all 18
May 30, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1982Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 30, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 25, 1975TornadoMajor 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 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 629 storm reports in Fulton County since 1961, with 4 deaths and 126 injuries and about $69.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on May 13, 1995 near Ipava To.

50tornadoes
210hail reports, largest 4 inches
306damaging thunderstorm winds
62floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 13, 1995F4Ipava To45 / 0
Jul 23, 1975F3–69 / 2
Jun 13, 1975F3–0 / 0
Jul 23, 1975F3–0 / 0
Apr 4, 2023EF3Ipava4 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 23, 1975Tornado–$25M
Apr 17, 2013Flash FloodBrereton$12M
May 13, 1995TornadoIpava To$6M
May 16, 2009FloodAvon$4M
Apr 18, 2013FloodBanner$4M
Apr 18, 2013FloodLondon Mills$3M

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 Fulton County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (25 policies)
11.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.8 millionpaid on 369 flood claims since 1978
2013costliest year, with $514,517 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 Fulton County

$107,200median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1960median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
79%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.9%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; 15,848 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
Peoria CountyModerate13
Tazewell CountyModerate13
Knox CountyLow9
McDonough CountyVery Low9
Warren CountyVery Low7
Mason CountyLow16
Schuyler CountyVery Low16

Common questions about Fulton County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Fulton County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Fulton County, about $8.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $3.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Fulton County had?

Fulton County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Floodng in September 2024.

Is Fulton County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 45th 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 Fulton County?

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

NOAA records list 50 tornadoes in Fulton County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on May 13, 1995 near Ipava To. The weather service has also logged 210 hail reports and 62 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.