Vermilion County, IL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Vermilion County has experienced 12 federally declared disasters since 1968, most recently Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Vermilion County's highest-rated hazards are cold wave, winter weather, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 61% 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. Vermilion County has been designated in 12 declarations since 1968, covering 6 disaster types including tornado (4), severe storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2014 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1994 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 1990 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 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 | 22.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 13 | 0 | $3.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.7 | 14 | 0 | $95K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 46.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 70 | 0 | $4.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 91.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 59.4 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 62.6 | 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
Vermilion County ranks in the 68th percentile (Moderate) 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 | 68th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 51st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 82nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 57th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 69th | 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 | 2nd | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 2nd | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 29.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 96 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 69 in 2016–20 vs 27 in 2021–25 (-61% — 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 Vermilion County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Vermilion County, Illinois are cold wave, winter weather, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Vermilion County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Vermilion County has received 12 federal disaster declarations since 1968, including declarations in 2023. The most common disaster type on record is tornado (4 declarations).
Has Vermilion County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Vermilion County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Severe Storms And Flooding in 2023.
How does Vermilion County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Champaign County, IL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Benton County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Vermilion County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Vermilion County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Vermilion 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. Vermilion County's composite score of 79 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 79% of US counties.