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Kane County, Illinois

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

Relatively High overall risk
6th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$198Mexpected losses a year
14federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0

Kane County, Illinois has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 95% of US counties. It ranks 6th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $198 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $384 per resident. Since 1967 it has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in May 2013 (severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (634 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $12 million on 929 claims here, including $4.0 million for floods in 1996.

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

Top risks in Kane County

$99 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

Very High
$49.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 6 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$37.5 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 floodingHigh95.5
$99M
Cold waveVery High99.2
$50M
TornadoHigh98.6
$38M
EarthquakeLow86.4
$4M
Heat waveModerate90.0
$4M
Strong windModerate77.3
$1M
LightningHigh88.0
$1M
HailLow63.6
$521K
DroughtModerate65.7
$495K
Winter weatherModerate77.4
$222K
Ice stormModerate63.6
$192K
WildfireVery Low32.7
$21K
HurricaneVery Low21.2
$8K
LandslideVery Low51.1
$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 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 Kane County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood4
Snowstorm4
Severe Storm3
Tornado2
Hurricane1

Most recent

May 10, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Oct 3, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 25, 2007Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jan 17, 2001Illinois Winter Snow StormsEmergency
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
Jul 25, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 1990TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 7, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 14
Jan 16, 1979Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 25, 1967TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1955

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 959 storm reports in Kane County since 1955, with 1 death and 14 injuries and about $33 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on August 6, 1958.

43tornadoes
226hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
576damaging thunderstorm winds
81floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 6, 1958F2–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1967F2–0 / 0
Jul 16, 1980F2–0 / 0
Aug 23, 1956F2–0 / 0
Apr 28, 1955F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 17, 1996Flash FloodSouth and Central$15M
Aug 23, 2007FloodAlgonquin$5M
Sep 13, 2008Flash FloodHampshire$3M
Sep 14, 2008Flash FloodElgin Arpt$3M
Apr 28, 1955Tornado–$3M
Jul 5, 2023LightningGeneva$700K

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 Kane County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (634 policies)
28%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$11.6 millionpaid on 929 flood claims since 1978
1996costliest year, with $4 million 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 Kane County

$327,000median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1985median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
45%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.8%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; 190,921 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
Cook CountyVery High22
DuPage CountyHigh14
McHenry CountyModerate14
Kendall CountyLow11
DeKalb CountyLow10

Common questions about Kane County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Kane County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Kane County, about $99 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $49.8 million.

How many federal disasters has Kane County had?

Kane County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1967, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in May 2013.

Is Kane County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 6th 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 Kane County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 250 homes in Kane 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 Kane County had?

NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Kane County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on August 6, 1958. The weather service has also logged 226 hail reports and 81 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.