Boone County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Boone County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Boone County's highest-rated hazards are hail, tornado, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 17% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Boone County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1967, covering 5 disaster types including snowstorm (5), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Snowstorm | Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Illinois Winter Snow Storms |
| 1993 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1979 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1973 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 total declarations since 1967.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 8.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 63.9 | 16 | 0 | $126K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.6 | 11 | 1 | $100K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 8.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 59.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 41.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 32.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 68.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 28.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Boone County ranks in the 47th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 47th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 52nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 66th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 17th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 4th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 4th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 25.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 50 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (+17% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Boone County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Boone County, Illinois are hail, tornado, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Boone County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Boone County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is snowstorm (5 declarations).
Has Boone County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Boone County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Boone County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Winnebago County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Ogle County, IL has the lowest (Relatively Low). Boone County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Boone County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Boone County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Boone County's composite score of 57 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 57% of US counties.