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FPtrainhousePhoto: Archaic saji at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
CHazard risk
Natural hazards in Franklin Park · FEMA

More hazard damage per building is expected in Franklin Park than in 72% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Franklin Park gets a C for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 72% of U.S. towns, #562 of 768 in Illinois. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (88%). Flood insurance has paid 257 claims here since 1978.

River and rain flooding 88%Tornadoes 8%Earthquakes 3%

Graded on FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value (NRI v1.20, December 2025), weighted by where residents live; flood claims are shown, not graded. How hazard risk is graded

more than 72%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#562 of 768 in Illinois
Hazard risk
C#562 of 768
in Illinois · higher than 72% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
88% of expected building damage
Flood claims
257
paid since 1978 · $6.3M
Flooded more than once
37
properties · 4 “severe repetitive loss”
Disasters paid out here
9
of 21 declared for Cook County

What stands out about Franklin Park’s natural hazards

From FEMA’s model and FEMA’s records, below.

257 paid flood claims since 1978$6.3M in all; 37 properties flooded more than once. More per home than 91% of U.S. towns.Remembers 201370 flood claims were paid for 2013 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Franklin Park faces

Each hazard’s share of the building damage FEMA expects here, and how its rate compares with the rest of the country.

River and rain flooding

88%of expected building damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

8%of expected building damage
Above average · higher than 76% of U.S. census tracts
Smaller shares here
 Earthquakes Hail Strong wind Winter storms Ice storms Hurricanes Cold waves Heat waves Landslides Lightning
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingWildfireAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts cold waves at 24% of Franklin Park’s expected losses. Cold waves do little damage to buildings (0.0%), so they aren’t part of the grade.

Shares are of FEMA’s expected building damage, the measure the grade uses; ranks compare each hazard’s building-damage rate with all 85,154 U.S. census tracts. In FEMA’s terms, river and rain flooding is FEMA’s “Inland Flooding” (rivers and streams overflowing their banks, or rain overwhelming drainage). FEMA defines coastal flooding as high or rising tides and storm surge, so surge damage is counted there. Drought isn’t listed: FEMA counts its losses in crops only.

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.
Hazard risk grade

What’s behind Franklin Park’s grade

River and rain flooding is 88% of the building damage FEMA expects in Franklin Park, and Franklin Park’s rate of river and rain flooding damage is higher than 84% of U.S. census tracts. Next is tornadoes at 8% (higher than 76% of U.S. census tracts).

Where Franklin Park sits
Franklin Park
Least damageMiddleMost damage

C #562 of 768 in Illinois; higher expected damage per building than 72% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Franklin Park’s residents live in 7 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding88%Tornadoes8%Earthquakes3%Everything else1%

The typical Illinois town has higher expected damage than 54% of U.S. towns; within the state, Franklin Park has more expected damage per building than 73% of Illinois towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $10.3M a year in losses across Franklin Park: $6.1M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

A firm figure. It combines 7 census tracts by where Franklin Park’s residents live. FEMA’s model is an average year for today’s buildings, not a record: the claims and disasters below are the record.

How TownRatings grades hazard risk →

Flood insurance claims

Does Franklin Park flood? Yes: 257 flood claims since 1978

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Franklin Park, from FEMA’s records: 41.4 per 1,000 homes, more than 91% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1978: 1 claim1979: 12 claims1980: 0 claims1981: 1 claim1982: 11 claims1983: 1 claim1984: 0 claims1985: 3 claims1986: 0 claims1987: 47 claims1988: 0 claims1989: 0 claims1990: 0 claims1991: 0 claims1992: 0 claims1993: 0 claims1994: 0 claims1995: 0 claims1996: 1 claim1997: 14 claims1998: 0 claims1999: 0 claims2000: 0 claims2001: 1 claim2002: 2 claims2003: 1 claim2004: 0 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 2 claims2007: 4 claims2008: 44 claims2009: 2 claims2010: 20 claims2011: 11 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 70 claims2014: 0 claims2015: 3 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 0 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 2 claims2020: 1 claim2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 0 claims2024: 2 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 1 claim198720082013
19782026
Biggest named events
  • The Mid-spring storms70 claims · $2.1M
  • Hurricane Ike41 claims · $687K
257
paid claims since 1978
$6.3M
paid to owners
37
homes flooded more than once
$25K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Franklin Park isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Cook County.
Disasters

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Franklin Park

Disasters that paid out in Franklin Park itself (aid to households or repair grants to the Village of Franklin Park), newest first, with that year’s flood claims.

  1. 2024Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Floodng20 households applied for aid$23K aid approved2 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2023Severe Storms and Flooding5 households applied for aid$5K aid approved
  3. 2023Severe Storms and Flooding35 households applied for aid$96K aid approved
  4. 2013Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding204 households applied for aid$266K aid approved70 flood claims paid that year
  5. 2011Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm$130K to the Village of Franklin Park for repairs11 flood claims paid that year
  6. 2010Severe Storms and Flooding110 households applied for aid$206K aid approved20 flood claims paid that year
Show all 9
  1. 2008Severe Storms and Flooding49 households applied for aid$76K aid approved$156K to the Village of Franklin Park for repairs44 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2000Illinois Winter Snow Storms$40K to the Village of Franklin Park for repairs
  3. 1999Il-winter Storm 1/1/99$49K to the Village of Franklin Park for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Franklin ParkCook County only

Cook County has had 21 natural disasters declared by the President since 1953, most often severe storms, then floods. Not counted: the 2005 Hurricane Katrina evacuee emergency, which covered counties that took in evacuees.

Were you here?

Old photos of Franklin Park after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Franklin Park archive →
Next door

Franklin Park and its neighbors

Franklin Park is 7th of the 8 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Schiller Park: hazard risk BChicago: hazard risk B−Leyden Township: hazard risk C+Northlake: hazard risk C−Melrose Park: hazard risk CRiver Grove: hazard risk C+Bensenville: hazard risk B−Schiller ParkChicagoLeyden TownshipNorthlakeMelrose ParkRiver GroveBensenvilleFranklin Park
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
Schiller ParkBless damage than 55%river and rain flooding126
ChicagoB−more damage than 51%river and rain flooding550
BensenvilleB−more damage than 54%river and rain flooding110
Leyden TownshipC+more damage than 62%river and rain flooding960
River GroveC+more damage than 64%river and rain flooding115
Melrose ParkCmore damage than 67%river and rain flooding374
Franklin ParkCmore damage than 72%river and rain flooding257
NorthlakeC−more damage than 82%river and rain flooding209

Hazard risk = FEMA’s expected yearly building damage per dollar of building value, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade; the map is shaded by fifths of the same scale. Flood claims = paid federal flood insurance claims on record.

Be ready

Get ready for what Franklin Park faces

A short kit for the hazards that drive the building damage here, what to check before you buy, and where neighbors get alerts.

When the river rises
  • Turn around at flooded roads: a foot of moving water can carry off a car.
  • Flood insurance usually takes 30 days to start, so buy it before the forecast.
  • Keep papers and medicines up high, in a grab-and-go bag.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Tornado warnings
  • Pick your spot now: the lowest floor, an inside room, no windows.
  • A watch means be ready; a warning means take cover now.
  • Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed.
More from Ready.gov ↗
Before you buy or rent
  • Look up the address on FEMA’s flood map.
  • Ask the seller or landlord whether it has ever flooded, and what flood insurance costs there.
  • Get a flood insurance quote early: policies usually start 30 days after you buy.
When a storm is coming
Forecast and alertsWeather →911, the nearest ERSafety →

Know where neighbors sign up for alerts? Add it to the Handbook so everyone has it.

Questions about natural hazards in Franklin Park

Is Franklin Park at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Franklin Park has higher expected damage per building than 72% of U.S. towns: C for hazard risk, #562 of 768 in Illinois. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (88%) and tornadoes (8%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Franklin Park flood?

Flood insurance has paid 257 claims in Franklin Park since 1978, $6.3M in all, or 41.4 per 1,000 homes, more than 91% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 37 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Mid-spring storms (70).

Is Franklin Park in a flood zone?

Flood zones are drawn street by street, so the answer depends on the address: look it up on FEMA’s flood map. In Cook County, 32% of homes in mapped flood zones carry federal flood insurance, and 0.5% of all homes do.

How much is flood insurance in Franklin Park?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Franklin Park’s flood program. Premiums depend on the building; policies usually start 30 days after you buy, so get a quote early.

What was the biggest storm in Franklin Park?

By FEMA money that reached Franklin Park, Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding (2013): 204 households applied for aid, $266K approved. By flood claims, Mid-spring storms: 70 paid, $2.1M.

Is Franklin Park at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (88%), and Franklin Park’s rate for it is higher than 84% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Franklin Park.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Franklin Park’s residents lived in the 2020 census; OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. Preparedness tips: Ready.gov. FEMA’s model is an average of expected damage, not a forecast. How hazard risk is graded.