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Piatt County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
75th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$13Mexpected losses a year
7federal declarations
1 in 250homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Piatt County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 65% of US counties. It ranks 75th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and drought. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $758 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (5 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2007 (severe winter storm). Only 26 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $364,000 on 19 claims here.

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

Top risks in Piatt County

$6.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • 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.
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Drought

Moderate
$1.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow43.7
$6M
Cold waveLow60.1
$2M
DroughtModerate87.1
$2M
TornadoLow44.3
$1M
EarthquakeLow66.4
$741K
Strong windModerate52.9
$681K
Heat waveLow42.5
$292K
HailLow43.6
$234K
LightningVery Low16.6
$64K
Winter weatherLow41.7
$54K
Ice stormLow29.8
$36K
HurricaneVery Low22.0
$8K
WildfireVery Low4.0
$1K
LandslideVery Low33.1
$443

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 relatively 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 Piatt County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Tornado2
Severe Ice Storm2
Severe Storm1
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Feb 9, 2007Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
Apr 26, 1994Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 6, 1990Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jun 5, 1968Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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 243 storm reports in Piatt County since 1959, with 1 death and 10 injuries and about $11.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 20, 1976.

36tornadoes
57hail reports, largest 4 inches
126damaging thunderstorm winds
23floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 20, 1976F4–5 / 0
Oct 24, 2001F2Monticello0 / 0
May 11, 1959F2–0 / 0
Mar 14, 2025EF2Hammond0 / 0
Dec 28, 2025EF2La Place0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 20, 1976Tornado–$3M
Oct 24, 2001TornadoMonticello$2M
Jul 12, 2014Flash FloodBlue Ridge$2M
Apr 19, 1996TornadoMonticello$1M
Jul 13, 2004Thunderstorm WindMansfield$800K
Apr 19, 1996TornadoMilmine$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 11, 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 Piatt County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.4%of homes have federal flood insurance (26 policies)
20.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$363,756paid on 19 flood claims since 1978
2014costliest year, with $204,791 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 Piatt County

$180,600median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1973median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.6%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; 7,412 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
Champaign CountyModerate10
McLean CountyModerate9
Macon CountyModerate9
Douglas CountyLow11
De Witt CountyVery Low9
Moultrie CountyLow8

Common questions about Piatt County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Piatt County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Piatt County, about $6.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Piatt County had?

Piatt County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 5 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2007.

Is Piatt County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 75th 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 Piatt County?

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

NOAA records list 36 tornadoes in Piatt County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 20, 1976. The weather service has also logged 57 hail reports and 23 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.