Ogle County, Illinois
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Ogle County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 71% of US counties. It ranks 34th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $36 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $699 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 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 (140 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $3.5 million on 308 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Ogle County
- 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.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 77.0 | $21M | ||
| Tornado | 79.9 | $5M | ||
| Cold wave | 80.8 | $5M | ||
| Hail | 88.5 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 76.2 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 75.8 | $879K | ||
| Earthquake | 63.8 | $686K | ||
| Heat wave | 41.7 | $304K | ||
| Lightning | 40.1 | $195K | ||
| Ice storm | 59.9 | $163K | ||
| Winter weather | 19.0 | $20K | ||
| Wildfire | 11.4 | $5K | ||
| Hurricane | 13.6 | $4K | ||
| Landslide | 51.3 | $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 very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Ogle County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 12
Illinois also had 2 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1959
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 448 storm reports in Ogle County since 1959, with 1 death and 14 injuries and about $15.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on April 9, 2015 near Carthage.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2015 | EF4 | Carthage | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 5, 1979 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 6, 1972 | F2 | – | 3 / 1 |
| Apr 21, 1974 | F1 | – | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1974 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2015 | Tornado | Carthage | $10M |
| Aug 5, 1979 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Aug 4, 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mt Morris | $300K |
| Jul 24, 2010 | Flash Flood | Creston | $268K |
| Apr 6, 1972 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 21, 1974 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 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 Ogle County
Check your address flood zone ›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 Ogle County
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; 22,682 housing units.
Compare in Illinois
All 102 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Cook County | Inland flooding | |
| DuPage County | Inland flooding | |
| Lake County | Inland flooding | |
| Will County | Inland flooding | |
| Kane County | Inland flooding | |
| McHenry County | Inland flooding | |
| Winnebago County | Inland flooding | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County | 17 | |
| DeKalb County | 10 | |
| Whiteside County | 12 | |
| Boone County | 9 | |
| Stephenson County | 12 | |
| Lee County | 8 | |
| Carroll County | 14 |
Cities in Ogle County
Common questions about Ogle County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Ogle County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Ogle County, about $21.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $4.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Ogle County had?
Ogle County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding in May 2013.
Is Ogle County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 34th 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 Ogle County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Ogle 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 Ogle County had?
NOAA records list 34 tornadoes in Ogle County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on April 9, 2015 near Carthage. The weather service has also logged 105 hail reports and 44 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.