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Wabash County, Illinois

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

Very Low overall risk
88th of 102highest risk in Illinois
$8Mexpected losses a year
8federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, CC0

Wabash County, Illinois has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 75% of US counties. It ranks 88th of 102 counties in Illinois. The costliest hazards here are earthquakes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $7.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $670 per resident. Since 1989 it has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (6 major disasters). The most recent was in November 2013 (severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes). Only 8 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $30,000 on 10 claims here.

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

Top risks in Wabash County

$2.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 140 years.
  • Ask whether an older house is bolted to its foundation.
  • Consider separate earthquake insurance where risk is high.
$2.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 4 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.
$440,997 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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
EarthquakeLow86.0
$3M
Inland floodingVery Low25.8
$3M
TornadoLow29.1
$441K
DroughtModerate68.4
$432K
Heat waveLow54.5
$418K
Strong windLow35.1
$317K
Cold waveLow25.6
$305K
HailVery Low22.3
$73K
LightningVery Low15.2
$47K
Winter weatherLow40.8
$42K
Ice stormLow29.7
$28K
HurricaneVery Low15.9
$4K
LandslideVery Low42.6
$721
WildfireVery Low0.4
$173

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 moderate and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Tornado3
Severe Storm3
Snowstorm1
Hurricane1

Most recent

Nov 26, 2013Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jun 7, 2011Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 7, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Feb 1, 2005Record/Near Record SnowEmergency
May 21, 2002Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 1996Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Jun 22, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1989Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1958

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 279 storm reports in Wabash County since 1958, with 1 death and 55 injuries and about $36.3 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on January 7, 1989.

19tornadoes
58hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
78damaging thunderstorm winds
108floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Jan 7, 1989F4–50 / 0
Jun 2, 1990F4–0 / 0
Jan 7, 1989F2–0 / 0
Apr 19, 2011EF2Keensburg0 / 0
May 19, 2022EF2Keensburg0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 7, 1989Tornado–$25M
Jan 7, 1989Tornado–$3M
Jun 2, 1990Tornado–$3M
Apr 19, 2011TornadoKeensburg$3M
May 3, 1996HailMt Carmel$500K
May 19, 2022TornadoKeensburg$500K

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 Wabash County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (8 policies)
1.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$30,378paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
1993costliest year, with $15,295 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 Wabash County

$104,900median home value (Illinois $263,300, US $332,700)
1970median year homes were built (Illinois 1971, US 1980)
68%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
10.4%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; 5,410 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
Knox County, INLow16
Gibson County, INLow20
Richland CountyLow6
Lawrence CountyLow7
White CountyLow8
Edwards CountyVery Low5

Common questions about Wabash County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Wabash County?

Earthquake has the highest expected yearly losses in Wabash County, about $2.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $2.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Wabash County had?

Wabash County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1989, including 6 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes in November 2013.

Is Wabash County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 88th 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 Wabash County?

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

NOAA records list 19 tornadoes in Wabash County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on January 7, 1989. The weather service has also logged 58 hail reports and 108 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.