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Rock Island County, Illinois

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
19th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$45Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 77homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Rock Island County, Illinois has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 84% of US counties. It ranks 19th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $45 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $314 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2019 (severe storms and flooding). About 1 in 77 homes here carry federal flood insurance (668 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $20 million on 2,132 claims here.

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

Top risks in Rock Island County

$16.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 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.
$11.3 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.
$6.8 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 floodingModerate79.5
$17M
Cold waveHigh95.7
$11M
TornadoHigh91.0
$7M
Heat waveModerate93.4
$4M
Strong windHigh94.1
$2M
HailModerate91.8
$2M
LightningHigh89.5
$1M
DroughtModerate70.5
$464K
EarthquakeLow62.3
$451K
Ice stormModerate80.4
$366K
Winter weatherHigh90.3
$360K
LandslideLow84.0
$23K
HurricaneVery Low13.8
$3K
WildfireVery Low8.7
$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 relatively high 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 Rock Island County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood9
Tornado1
Hurricane1
Severe Storm1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 19, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 10, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 9, 2001FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 30, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1974Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 13
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 6, 1969FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 25, 1965Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor 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 631 storm reports in Rock Island County since 1955, with 4 deaths and 25 injuries and about $17 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 13, 1990.

41tornadoes
152hail reports, largest 3 inches
306damaging thunderstorm winds
110floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 13, 1990F3–1 / 0
Aug 15, 1978F3–0 / 0
May 9, 1995F3Rapids City0 / 0
Jun 14, 1974F3–0 / 0
Apr 21, 1973F2–2 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 21, 1973Tornado–$3M
May 16, 1974Tornado–$3M
Apr 4, 1981Tornado–$3M
Mar 13, 1990Tornado–$3M
Mar 15, 2016TornadoBarstow$750K
Feb 20, 1997Flash FloodCountywide$550K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 17, 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 Rock Island County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (668 policies)
23.7%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$20.1 millionpaid on 2,132 flood claims since 1978
2008costliest year, with $3.1 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 Rock Island County

$150,400median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1962median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
76%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
2.7%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; 66,759 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
Scott County, IAModerate18
Whiteside CountyLow12
Henry CountyLow14
Clinton County, IALow20
Muscatine County, IALow19
Mercer CountyVery Low13
Louisa County, IAVery Low18

Cities in Rock Island County

Common questions about Rock Island County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Rock Island County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Rock Island County, about $16.6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $11.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Rock Island County had?

Rock Island County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in September 2019.

Is Rock Island County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 19th 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 Rock Island County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 77 homes in Rock Island 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 Rock Island County had?

NOAA records list 41 tornadoes in Rock Island County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 13, 1990. The weather service has also logged 152 hail reports and 110 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.