Brown County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Brown County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Brown County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, heat wave, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Brown County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1973, covering 6 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (4), snowstorm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 4.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 28 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 62.6 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 17.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 9.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 22.8 | 10 | 0 | $100K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 25 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 12 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 16 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 48.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 12 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 78.6 | 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
Brown County ranks in the 48th 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 | 48th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 25th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 60th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | High |
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 | 14th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 14th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 46.7% | — |
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 Brown County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Brown County, Illinois are landslide, heat wave, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Brown County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Brown County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Brown County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Brown County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Brown County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Morgan County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Scott County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Brown County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Brown County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Brown 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. Brown County's composite score of 5 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 5% of US counties.