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St. Clair County, Illinois

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

Relatively High overall risk
5th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$175Mexpected losses a year
17federal declarations
1 in 100homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

St. Clair County, Illinois has a relatively high overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 95% of US counties. It ranks 5th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, earthquakes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $175 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $679 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and floodng). About 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,007 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $7.8 million on 1,469 claims here.

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

Top risks in St. Clair County

$71.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 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.

Earthquake

Moderate
$50.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 160 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$15.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 15 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingHigh94.5
$72M
EarthquakeModerate98.0
$51M
Heat waveHigh98.1
$15M
Cold waveHigh96.4
$15M
TornadoHigh95.5
$13M
HailHigh97.6
$5M
LightningHigh93.7
$2M
Ice stormHigh91.0
$1M
Strong windModerate54.0
$627K
Winter weatherHigh87.2
$333K
DroughtLow61.4
$314K
LandslideLow84.3
$28K
HurricaneVery Low34.9
$21K
WildfireVery Low15.1
$5K

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 relatively high in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included St. Clair County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood8
Severe Storm5
Tornado2
Hurricane1
Severe Ice Storm1

Most recent

Sep 20, 2024Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodngMajor disaster
Oct 14, 2022Severe Storm and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 19, 2019Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 24, 2008Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 9, 2007Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
May 30, 1995Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1994Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 17
Jul 9, 1993Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 7, 1986Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 6, 1983Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 30, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 30, 1969Heavy Rains & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 5, 1968Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

Illinois also had 2 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1952

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 894 storm reports in St. Clair County since 1952, with 16 deaths and 154 injuries and about $32.2 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on February 25, 1956.

56tornadoes
319hail reports, largest 3.5 inches
457damaging thunderstorm winds
52floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 25, 1956F4–20 / 6
May 15, 1968F3–60 / 4
Apr 5, 1958F3–8 / 1
Nov 15, 1988F3–0 / 0
Apr 2, 2006F2Fairview Hgts11 / 1

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jul 26, 2022Flash FloodEast Carondelet$10M
Jun 2, 2019FloodVenice$8M
Feb 25, 1956Tornado–$3M
May 1, 1983Tornado–$3M
Nov 15, 1988Tornado–$3M
Jul 4, 1992Tornado–$3M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 27, 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 St. Clair County

Check your address flood zone ›
1%of homes have federal flood insurance (1,007 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$7.8 millionpaid on 1,469 flood claims since 1978
2022costliest year, with $1.7 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 St. Clair County

$180,300median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1975median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
55%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
4.4%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; 115,630 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
St. Louis County, MOHigh32
St. Louis City, MOHigh23
Madison CountyModerate14
Clinton CountyLow5
Monroe CountyVery Low18
Randolph CountyLow15
Washington CountyLow7

Cities in St. Clair County

Common questions about St. Clair County

What is the biggest natural hazard in St. Clair County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in St. Clair County, about $71.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Earthquake is second at $50.8 million.

How many federal disasters has St. Clair County had?

St. Clair County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Floodng in September 2024.

Is St. Clair County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively High, 5th 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 St. Clair County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 100 homes in St. Clair 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 St. Clair County had?

NOAA records list 56 tornadoes in St. Clair County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on February 25, 1956. The weather service has also logged 319 hail reports and 52 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.