Sangamon County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Sangamon County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Sangamon County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, cold wave, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 57% 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. Sangamon County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (4), biological (2), snowstorm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2006 | Severe Storm | Tornadoes And Severe Storms |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| 1999 | Snowstorm | Il-Winter Storm 1/1/99 |
| 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.2 | 35 | 0 | $2.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 96.2 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.1 | 16 | 0 | $915K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 41.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively High | 95.6 | 124 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 90.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 96.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.5 | 4 | 0 | $215K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 63.1 | 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
Sangamon County ranks in the 40th 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 | 40th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 24th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 45th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 60th | 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 | 7th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 7th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 13.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 180 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 70 in 2016–20 vs 110 in 2021–25 (+57% — 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 Sangamon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Sangamon County, Illinois are tornado, cold wave, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Sangamon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Sangamon County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (4 declarations).
Has Sangamon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Sangamon County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Sangamon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Morgan County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Menard County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Sangamon County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Sangamon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Sangamon 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. Sangamon County's composite score of 92 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 92% of US counties.