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Vermilion County, Illinois

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

Relatively Low overall risk
25th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$32Mexpected losses a year
10federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Vermilion County, Illinois has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 79% of US counties. It ranks 25th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $32 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $435 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in August 2023 (severe storms and flooding). Only 43 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.2 million on 103 claims here.

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

Top risks in Vermilion County

$13.8 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.
$7.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 times a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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 floodingModerate76.5
$14M
Cold waveHigh93.2
$8M
TornadoModerate79.7
$3M
EarthquakeLow85.2
$2M
Strong windHigh87.1
$1M
Heat waveModerate79.1
$1M
DroughtModerate87.1
$1M
HailModerate83.4
$866K
Winter weatherHigh91.1
$354K
LightningModerate59.4
$264K
Ice stormModerate61.3
$116K
HurricaneVery Low46.2
$42K
WildfireVery Low22.7
$8K
LandslideLow62.6
$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 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 Vermilion County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Tornado4
Severe Storm3
Severe Ice Storm1
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Aug 15, 2023Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 26, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 8, 1999Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99Emergency
May 6, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 26, 1994Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 6, 1990Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Apr 11, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 5, 1968Tornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1953

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 719 storm reports in Vermilion County since 1953, with 1 death and 32 injuries and about $76.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 20, 1976.

67tornadoes
205hail reports, largest 3.5 inches
383damaging thunderstorm winds
62floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 20, 1976F4–0 / 0
Apr 9, 1953F3–5 / 1
Nov 17, 2013EF2Allerton1 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F2–12 / 0
Nov 17, 2013EF2Ellis0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 9, 1953Tornado–$25M
Nov 17, 2013TornadoAllerton$10M
Jul 8, 2001Thunderstorm WindHoopeston$9M
May 18, 2000HailIndianola$4M
May 16, 2019HailHegeler$4M
Feb 21, 2018FloodCheneyville$3M

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

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (43 policies)
10.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.2 millionpaid on 103 flood claims since 1978
2018costliest year, with $538,630 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 Vermilion County

$97,200median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1957median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
79%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
5.3%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; 34,327 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
Champaign CountyModerate10
Iroquois CountyLow7
Douglas CountyLow11
Edgar CountyVery Low7
Vermillion County, INVery Low15
Ford CountyVery Low6
Benton County, INVery Low19
Warren County, INVery Low17

Cities in Vermilion County

Common questions about Vermilion County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Vermilion County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Vermilion County, about $13.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $7.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Vermilion County had?

Vermilion County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms and Flooding in August 2023.

Is Vermilion County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 25th 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 Vermilion County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Vermilion 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 Vermilion County had?

NOAA records list 67 tornadoes in Vermilion County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 20, 1976. The weather service has also logged 205 hail reports and 62 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.