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Moultrie County, Illinois

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

Relatively Low overall risk
63rd of 102highest risk in Illinois
$10Mexpected losses a year
8federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Moultrie County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 55% of US counties. It ranks 63rd of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and drought. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $717 per resident. Since 1990 it has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Only 35 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $121,000 on 20 claims here.

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

Top risks in Moultrie County

$4.7 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Drought

Moderate
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow49.1
$5M
Cold waveModerate69.6
$2M
DroughtModerate88.7
$1M
EarthquakeLow75.2
$844K
TornadoLow45.9
$790K
Strong windModerate60.1
$535K
Heat waveLow55.8
$357K
HailLow65.2
$332K
LightningLow45.4
$145K
Winter weatherLow54.6
$55K
Ice stormVery Low25.9
$18K
HurricaneVery Low33.7
$14K
WildfireVery Low4.3
$998
LandslideVery Low41.0
$516

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 high 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 Moultrie County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Snowstorm2
Tornado2
Severe Storm2
Severe Ice Storm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2023Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 2021Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesEmergency
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Aug 19, 2010Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
Mar 6, 1990Severe Ice StormMajor 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 205 storm reports in Moultrie County since 1955, with 0 deaths and 4 injuries and about $10.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on April 7, 1998 near Cadwell.

17tornadoes
52hail reports, largest 3 inches
105damaging thunderstorm winds
30floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 7, 1998F2Cadwell4 / 0
Apr 8, 1980F2–0 / 0
Dec 10, 2021EF2Gays0 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF1Williamsburg0 / 0
Apr 3, 1956F1–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 7, 1998HailBethany$7M
Jul 19, 2010Thunderstorm WindKirksville$1M
Nov 17, 2013TornadoWilliamsburg$860K
Dec 27, 2015FloodGays$500K
May 15, 2018Thunderstorm WindSullivan$350K
Jan 13, 2005Flash FloodCountywide$168K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 4, 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 Moultrie County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (35 policies)
20.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$120,662paid on 20 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $97,150 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 Moultrie County

$134,000median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1968median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
68%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.5%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; 6,240 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
Macon CountyModerate9
Coles CountyLow7
Shelby CountyLow8
Douglas CountyLow11
Piatt CountyVery Low7

Common questions about Moultrie County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Moultrie County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Moultrie County, about $4.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.5 million.

How many federal disasters has Moultrie County had?

Moultrie County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1990, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in August 2023.

Is Moultrie County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 63rd 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 Moultrie County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Moultrie 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 Moultrie County had?

NOAA records list 17 tornadoes in Moultrie County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on April 7, 1998 near Cadwell. The weather service has also logged 52 hail reports and 30 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.