Crawford County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Crawford County has experienced 9 federally declared disasters since 1985, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Crawford County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, drought, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 33 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (19th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Crawford County has been designated in 9 declarations since 1985, covering 6 disaster types including biological (2), flood (2), severe storm (2).
| 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 |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1985 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 43.7 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 55.4 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 44.4 | 6 | 3 | $500K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 24.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 47 | 14 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 38.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 33.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 22.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 71.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.9 | 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
Crawford County ranks in the 19th percentile (Very 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 | 19th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 17th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 16th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 26th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 45th | 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 | 3rd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 3rd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 40.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 33 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (+6% — relatively stable).
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 Crawford County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Crawford County, Illinois are earthquake, drought, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Crawford County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Crawford County has received 9 federal disaster declarations since 1985, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is biological (2 declarations).
Has Crawford County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Crawford County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Crawford County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Knox County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Jasper County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Crawford County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Crawford County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Crawford 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. Crawford County's composite score of 37 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 37% of US counties.