DuPage County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
DuPage County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
DuPage County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, tornado, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 45% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (23rd 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. DuPage County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1967, covering 6 disaster types including flood (4), snowstorm (4), severe storm (4).
| 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 |
| 2010 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Snowstorm | Illinois Winter Snow Storms |
| 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 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 | 33.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98 | 76 | 1 | $323K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.3 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.3 | 20 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 25.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 53.8 | 62 | 0 | $30K |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 88.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very High | 99.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.1 | 1 | 0 | $40K |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33 | 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
DuPage County ranks in the 23rd 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 | 23rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 16th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 17th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 36th | 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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 4.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 157 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 64 in 2016–20 vs 93 in 2021–25 (+45% — 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 DuPage County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in DuPage County, Illinois are cold wave, tornado, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has DuPage County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. DuPage County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (4 declarations).
Has DuPage County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for DuPage County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does DuPage County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Cook County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very High) and Kendall County, IL has the lowest (Relatively Low). DuPage County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is DuPage County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
DuPage 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. DuPage County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.