Fayette County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fayette County has experienced 8 federally declared disasters since 2002, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Fayette County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, drought, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 21 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Fayette County has been designated in 8 declarations since 2002, covering 5 disaster types including tornado (3), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And 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 | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 49.5 | 4 | 0 | $600K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 70.9 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 53.4 | 6 | 0 | $168K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.4 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 39.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 43.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 41.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 73.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 73.1 | 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
Fayette County ranks in the 56th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 56th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 44th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 31st | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 78th | 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 | 13th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 48.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 13 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 Fayette County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fayette County, Illinois are earthquake, drought, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Fayette County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fayette County has received 8 federal disaster declarations since 2002, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is tornado (3 declarations).
Has Fayette County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Fayette County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022.
How does Fayette County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Marion County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Bond County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Fayette County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Fayette County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fayette 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. Fayette County's composite score of 49 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 49% of US counties.