Home › Illinois › Scott County

Scott County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
102nd of 102highest risk in Illinois
$4Mexpected losses a year
16federal declarations
1 in 125homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Scott County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 97% of US counties. It ranks 102nd of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, drought and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $3.7 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $751 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Only 14 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $132,000 on 29 claims here.

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

Top risks in Scott County

$1.1 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.

Drought

Moderate
$892,955 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • Check local water restrictions.
  • Choose drought-tolerant plants.
$611,575 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low5.1
$1M
DroughtModerate71.6
$893K
Cold waveLow29.4
$612K
Strong windLow22.8
$327K
Heat waveVery Low35.1
$277K
TornadoVery Low15.2
$229K
EarthquakeVery Low28.8
$101K
HailVery Low14.2
$72K
LightningVery Low6.0
$29K
Ice stormVery Low10.6
$8K
Winter weatherVery Low6.7
$7K
LandslideVery Low57.9
$4K
HurricaneVery Low9.2
$2K
WildfireVery Low0.1
$56

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 Scott County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm6
Flood5
Snowstorm3
Tornado1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2023Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
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
Oct 3, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2006SnowEmergency
Mar 28, 2006Tornadoes and Severe StormsMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 16
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
May 30, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1982Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 30, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1973Severe 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 167 storm reports in Scott County since 1955, with 1 death and 9 injuries and about $5.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 24, 1961.

16tornadoes
41hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
72damaging thunderstorm winds
38floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 24, 1961F3–3 / 0
Aug 29, 1955F2–2 / 0
Mar 12, 2006F2Manchester0 / 0
May 24, 2004F1Winchester1 / 1
Aug 19, 2009EF1Alsey0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 12, 1999Thunderstorm WindRiggston$3M
Jun 19, 2011Flash FloodOxville$850K
Jul 19, 2015Flash FloodNaples$300K
Aug 29, 1955Tornado–$250K
Apr 24, 1961Tornado–$250K
Jun 10, 2011Thunderstorm WindWinchester$200K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 18, 2025. 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 Scott County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.8%of homes have federal flood insurance (14 policies)
6.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$131,801paid on 29 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $44,956 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 Scott County

$96,400median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1963median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
73%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
8.4%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; 2,384 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
Morgan CountyLow15
Pike CountyVery Low23
Greene CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Scott County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Scott County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Scott County, about $1.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Drought is second at $892,955.

How many federal disasters has Scott County had?

Scott County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in August 2023.

Is Scott County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 102nd 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 Scott County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Scott 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 Scott County had?

NOAA records list 16 tornadoes in Scott County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 24, 1961. The weather service has also logged 41 hail reports and 38 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.