LaSalle County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
LaSalle County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
LaSalle County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, inland flooding, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 15% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. LaSalle County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1967, covering 6 disaster types including flood (6), snowstorm (5), severe storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2007 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 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 | 21.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 88.2 | 22 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 82.4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69.7 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.1 | 20 | 2 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 30.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.9 | 38 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 85.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 71.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 88 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69 | 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
LaSalle County ranks in the 39th percentile (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 | 39th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 46th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 46th | 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 22.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 88 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 41 in 2016–20 vs 47 in 2021–25 (+15% — 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 LaSalle County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in LaSalle County, Illinois are cold wave, inland flooding, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has LaSalle County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. LaSalle County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has LaSalle County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for LaSalle County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does LaSalle County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Kendall County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Putnam County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). LaSalle County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is LaSalle County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
LaSalle 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. LaSalle County's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.