Jackson County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jackson County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Jackson County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, earthquake, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 143 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Jackson County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (5), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Record/Near Record Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1969.
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 | 11.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 58 | 0 | $1.8M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.7 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 90.7 | 42 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 74.2 | 6 | 0 | $6.4M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 43.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 78.1 | 37 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 98.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 79.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 89.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.8 | 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
Jackson County ranks in the 85th percentile (High) 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 | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 82nd | High |
| Household characteristics | 35th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 63rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 99th | 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 | 22nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 21st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 53.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 143 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 76 in 2016–20 vs 67 in 2021–25 (-12% — frequency decreasing).
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 Jackson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jackson County, Illinois are strong wind, earthquake, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Jackson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jackson County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (5 declarations).
Has Jackson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Jackson County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Jackson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Williamson County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Perry County, MO has the lowest (Relatively Low). Jackson County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Jackson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jackson 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. Jackson County's composite score of 87 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 87% of US counties.