De Witt County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
De Witt County has experienced 11 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
De Witt County's highest-rated hazards are drought, cold wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 24 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (5th 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. De Witt County has been designated in 11 declarations since 1968, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (2), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Illinois Winter Snow Storms |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1979 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 11 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 2.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 30.3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 65.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 44.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 43 | 15 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 45 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 30.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 32.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 21 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 81.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 45.6 | 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
De Witt County ranks in the 5th 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 | 5th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 19th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 8th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 9th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 2nd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 2nd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 23.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 7 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 .
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 De Witt County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in De Witt County, Illinois are drought, cold wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has De Witt County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. De Witt County has received 11 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (2 declarations).
Has De Witt County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for De Witt County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does De Witt County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Champaign County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Piatt County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). De Witt County is rated Very Low overall.
How is De Witt County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
De Witt 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. De Witt County's composite score of 29 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 29% of US counties.