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Kendall County, Illinois

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

Relatively Low overall risk
23rd of 102highest risk in Illinois
$75Mexpected losses a year
11federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Kendall County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 80% of US counties. It ranks 23rd of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $75 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $567 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 11 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). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (101 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.1 million on 175 claims here, including $1.5 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 Kendall County

$33.7 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.
$23.1 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
$12.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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 floodingModerate79.7
$34M
Cold waveHigh95.9
$23M
TornadoModerate89.7
$12M
Strong windHigh84.5
$3M
EarthquakeLow66.5
$1M
Heat waveLow61.9
$1M
LightningLow41.2
$295K
DroughtLow45.6
$185K
HailVery Low23.4
$150K
Winter weatherLow50.2
$113K
Ice stormLow41.4
$99K
WildfireVery Low14.2
$8K
HurricaneVery Low9.9
$3K
LandslideVery Low36.2
$861

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 very high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Snowstorm4
Flood3
Severe Storm2
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

May 10, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 3, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2006SnowEmergency
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
Jan 16, 1979Blizzards & SnowstormsEmergency
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 11
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 379 storm reports in Kendall County since 1954, with 1 death and 1 injury and about $9.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F5 tornado on August 28, 1990.

31tornadoes
92hail reports, largest 4.75 inches
208damaging thunderstorm winds
41floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Aug 28, 1990F5–0 / 0
Mar 12, 1976F3–0 / 0
Apr 27, 1984F3–0 / 0
May 27, 1954F2–0 / 0
Jun 30, 2014EF1Newark Arpt0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 12, 1976Tornado–$3M
Apr 27, 1984Tornado–$3M
Sep 14, 2008Flash FloodLittle Rock$2M
Jul 17, 1996Flash FloodCountywide$2M
Aug 17, 2025Flash FloodOswego$300K
Aug 28, 1990Tornado–$250K

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 Kendall County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (101 policies)
21.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$3.1 millionpaid on 175 flood claims since 1978
1996costliest year, with $1.5 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 Kendall County

$322,400median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
2001median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
24%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
0.2%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; 46,589 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
DuPage CountyHigh14
Will CountyHigh17
Kane CountyHigh14
LaSalle CountyModerate18
DeKalb CountyLow10
Grundy CountyLow13

Common questions about Kendall County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Kendall County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Kendall County, about $33.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $23.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Kendall County had?

Kendall County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in May 2013.

Is Kendall County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 23rd 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 Kendall County?

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

NOAA records list 31 tornadoes in Kendall County since 1950. The strongest was an F5 tornado on August 28, 1990. The weather service has also logged 92 hail reports and 41 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.