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Jasper County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
89th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$10Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Jasper County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 80% of US counties. It ranks 89th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and earthquakes. FEMA estimates about $10.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $1,074 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in November 2013 (severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes). Only 4 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $161,000 on 10 claims here.

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

Top risks in Jasper County

$4.5 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.

Drought

Moderate
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 190 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low28.4
$4M
DroughtModerate84.5
$2M
EarthquakeLow75.6
$2M
TornadoLow29.4
$670K
Strong windLow38.8
$542K
Cold waveLow24.7
$427K
Heat waveVery Low37.2
$272K
HailVery Low30.6
$166K
LightningVery Low11.4
$52K
Ice stormLow27.4
$37K
Winter weatherLow27.1
$35K
HurricaneVery Low32.4
$24K
LandslideVery Low54.9
$3K
WildfireVery Low2.4
$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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Hurricane1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Nov 26, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor 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
Jun 22, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 237 storm reports in Jasper County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 11 injuries and about $3.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990.

25tornadoes
60hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
104damaging thunderstorm winds
48floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jun 2, 1990F4–6 / 0
Dec 18, 1957F3–0 / 0
Aug 10, 1974F3–0 / 0
Apr 16, 2006F2Wheeler0 / 0
Jun 21, 2026EF2Newton Flying Clb Ar0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 15, 1994Thunderstorm WindNewton$500K
Jun 21, 2009Thunderstorm WindBoos$345K
Jun 6, 2008FloodSt Marie$340K
Apr 12, 1984Tornado–$250K
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$250K
Nov 17, 2013TornadoWest Liberty$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 21, 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 Jasper County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (4 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$160,951paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $96,539 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 Jasper County

$125,500median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1975median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
56%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.2%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; 4,226 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
Effingham CountyLow5
Crawford CountyVery Low7
Richland CountyLow6
Clark CountyVery Low8
Clay CountyVery Low3
Cumberland CountyVery Low7

Common questions about Jasper County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Jasper County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Jasper County, about $4.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Jasper County had?

Jasper County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in November 2013.

Is Jasper County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 89th 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 Jasper County?

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

NOAA records list 25 tornadoes in Jasper County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on June 2, 1990. The weather service has also logged 60 hail reports and 48 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.