Jersey County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jersey County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1969, most recently Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Jersey County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, heat wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 18% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (3rd 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. Jersey County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1969, covering 6 disaster types including flood (9), severe storm (5), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 18 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 64.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.3 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 38.1 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 8.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.6 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 40.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 21.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 20.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 53.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 41 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.8 | 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
Jersey County ranks in the 3rd 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 | 3rd | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 5th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 10th | 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 | 13th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 12th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 47.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 20 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 11 in 2016–20 vs 9 in 2021–25 (-18% — 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 Jersey County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jersey County, Illinois are landslide, heat wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Jersey County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jersey County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including declarations in 2022. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Jersey County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Jersey County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes in 2022.
How does Jersey County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Louis County, MO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Calhoun County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Jersey County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Jersey County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jersey 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. Jersey County's composite score of 19 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 19% of US counties.