Home › Illinois › Tazewell County

Tazewell County, Illinois

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
18th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$60Mexpected losses a year
13federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Tazewell 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 18th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $60 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $457 per resident. Since 1973 it has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in November 2013 (severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (115 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $1.9 million on 345 claims here.

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

Top risks in Tazewell County

$28.5 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.
$13.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$8.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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 floodingModerate84.4
$28M
Cold waveHigh95.0
$13M
TornadoHigh90.5
$9M
Heat waveModerate86.1
$3M
Strong windHigh85.9
$2M
EarthquakeLow79.7
$2M
DroughtModerate84.7
$1M
HailModerate82.1
$1M
LightningModerate65.5
$481K
Ice stormModerate74.9
$330K
Winter weatherModerate79.5
$234K
HurricaneVery Low28.1
$14K
LandslideLow75.3
$11K
WildfireVery Low8.0
$3K

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 Tazewell County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Flood5
Severe Storm3
Snowstorm3
Hurricane1
Tornado1

Most recent

Nov 26, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
May 10, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 2011Severe Winter Storm and SnowstormMajor disaster
Dec 29, 2006SnowEmergency
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 15, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
Jun 22, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 29, 1985Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 13, 1982Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 13
Apr 30, 1979Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 10, 1974Severe 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 783 storm reports in Tazewell County since 1955, with 3 deaths and 210 injuries and about $1 billion in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on November 17, 2013 near Marquette Hgts.

75tornadoes
234hail reports, largest 3 inches
427damaging thunderstorm winds
45floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 17, 2013EF4Marquette Hgts121 / 3
May 10, 2003F3South Pekin32 / 0
May 13, 1995F3Tremont25 / 0
Aug 13, 1956F3–0 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF2Pekin10 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Nov 17, 2013TornadoMarquette Hgts$910M
Nov 17, 2013TornadoPekin$45M
Apr 17, 2013Flash FloodParkland$31M
May 1, 2013FloodEast Peoria$22M
May 10, 2003TornadoSouth Pekin$10M
May 13, 1995TornadoTremont$4M

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 3, 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 Tazewell County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (115 policies)
16.6%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1.9 millionpaid on 345 flood claims since 1978
1979costliest year, with $355,365 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 Tazewell County

$167,500median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1969median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
72%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
1.7%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; 58,731 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
Peoria CountyModerate13
McLean CountyModerate9
Woodford CountyVery Low12
Fulton CountyLow18
Logan CountyLow10
Mason CountyLow16

Cities in Tazewell County

Common questions about Tazewell County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Tazewell County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Tazewell County, about $28.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $13.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Tazewell County had?

Tazewell County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1973, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in November 2013.

Is Tazewell County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 18th 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 Tazewell County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Tazewell 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 Tazewell County had?

NOAA records list 75 tornadoes in Tazewell County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on November 17, 2013 near Marquette Hgts. The weather service has also logged 234 hail reports and 45 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.