Rock Island County, Illinois
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 79.5 | $17M | ||
| Cold wave | 95.7 | $11M | ||
| Tornado | 91.0 | $7M | ||
| Heat wave | 93.4 | $4M | ||
| Strong wind | 94.1 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 91.8 | $2M | ||
| Lightning | 89.5 | $1M | ||
| Drought | 70.5 | $464K | ||
| Earthquake | 62.3 | $451K | ||
| Ice storm | 80.4 | $366K | ||
| Winter weather | 90.3 | $360K | ||
| Landslide | 84.0 | $23K | ||
| Hurricane | 13.8 | $3K | ||
| Wildfire | 8.7 | $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
Most recent
Show all 13
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 1990 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Aug 15, 1978 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 9, 1995 | F3 | Rapids City | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 14, 1974 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 21, 1973 | F2 | – | 2 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1973 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 16, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 4, 1981 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 13, 1990 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 15, 2016 | Tornado | Barstow | $750K |
| Feb 20, 1997 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $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 ›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
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 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Scott County, IA | 18 | |
| Whiteside County | 12 | |
| Henry County | 14 | |
| Clinton County, IA | 20 | |
| Muscatine County, IA | 19 | |
| Mercer County | 13 | |
| Louisa County, IA | 18 |
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.