Mason County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mason County has experienced 18 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Mason County's highest-rated hazards are drought, strong wind, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 23 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (13th 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. Mason County has been designated in 18 declarations since 1968, covering 6 disaster types including flood (6), severe storm (4), snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 2007 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 18 total declarations since 1968.
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 | 1.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 47.2 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 63.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 57.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 52.1 | 10 | 0 | $240K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 23.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 63.7 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 73.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 45.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 68.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 16.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.9 | 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
Mason County ranks in the 13th 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 | 13th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 26th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 18th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 2nd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 14th | 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 | 6th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 25.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 23 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 8 in 2016–20 vs 15 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 Mason County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mason County, Illinois are drought, strong wind, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Mason County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mason County has received 18 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (6 declarations).
Has Mason County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Mason County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Mason County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Sangamon County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Menard County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Mason County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Mason County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mason 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. Mason County's composite score of 43 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 43% of US counties.