Rock Island County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Rock Island County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Rock Island County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, strong wind, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 38% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (76th 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. Rock Island County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1965, covering 6 disaster types including flood (9), biological (2), hurricane (1).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2001 | Flood | Flooding |
| 1993 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1985 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 8.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 49 | 1 | $216K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 62.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 93.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 91 | 17 | 0 | $751K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 13.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.8 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 89.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 70.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 84 | 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
Rock Island County ranks in the 76th 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 | 76th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 58th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 85th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 67th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | Moderate |
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 | 28th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 16.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 94 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 58 in 2016–20 vs 36 in 2021–25 (-38% — 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 Rock Island County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Rock Island County, Illinois are cold wave, strong wind, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Rock Island County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Rock Island County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is flood (9 declarations).
Has Rock Island County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Rock Island County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Rock Island County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Scott County, IA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Mercer County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Rock Island County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Rock Island County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Rock Island 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. Rock Island County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.