Jackson County, Illinois Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · IL
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 87th
Jackson County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 87.1, 87th national percentile), driven primarily by strong wind and earthquake exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $50M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jackson County at medium composite risk, with a National Risk Index score of 87.1 out of 100 — placing it in the 87th national percentile and near the national midpoint for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Very High risk — $5M in expected annual loss and about 4.56 events per year; earthquake (ground shaking from sudden movement along geologic faults) at Medium risk — $20M in expected annual loss and about 0.01 events per year; and landslide (downhill movement of rock, soil, and debris on unstable slopes) at Medium risk — $92K in expected annual loss and about 1.12 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $50M in expected annual loss for a population of 53K.
Beyond physical exposure, Jackson County has a high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a high community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). Higher vulnerability is partly offset by strong community resilience and recovery capacity.
History supports the rating: Jackson County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1969, including 5 for flood events and 5 for severe storm events. The most recent was Covid-19 Pandemic (biological), declared in March 2020.
Among 102 Illinois counties, Jackson County ranks #14 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Strong Wind | Very High | 4.56 / yr | $5M |
| Earthquake | Medium | 0.01 / yr | $20M |
| Landslide | Medium | 1.12 / yr | $92K |
| Winter Weather | High | 8.05 / yr | $328K |
| Heat Wave | Medium | 10.58 / yr | $2M |
| Cold Wave | High | 1.21 / yr | $5M |
| Lightning | Medium | 53.69 / yr | $551K |
| Ice Storm | Medium | 0.67 / yr | $290K |
| Hail | Medium | 3.82 / yr | $601K |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 6.07 / yr | $13M |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.51 / yr | $2M |
| Drought | Low | 4.14 / yr | $206K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 0.02 / yr | $30K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $3K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Jackson County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1969, most recently Covid-19 Pandemic in March 2020. Most frequent causes: Flood (5), Severe Storm (5), Biological (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| September 2019 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| June 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| July 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| September 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| February 2005 | Snowstorm | Record/Near Record Snow |
| May 2002 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| May 1996 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| May 1995 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Jackson County?
Jackson County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 87.1 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 87th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Jackson County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Strong Wind (Very High, $5M EAL), Earthquake (Medium, $20M EAL), Landslide (Medium, $92K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Jackson County compare to other Illinois counties?
Jackson County ranks #14 of 102 Illinois counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Jackson County had?
FEMA records 15 federal disaster declarations for Jackson County since 1969, most often 5 for flood events and 5 for severe storm events. The most recent was Covid-19 Pandemic, declared in March 2020.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Jackson County's $50M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.