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Palos Hills Town Square ParkPhoto: Crosbiesmith · CC BY-SA 4.0
DHazard risk
Natural hazards in Palos Hills · FEMA

FEMA puts Palos Hills’s expected hazard damage per building above that of 90% of U.S. towns, mostly from river and rain flooding

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Palos Hills gets a D for hazard risk: higher expected damage per building than 90% of U.S. towns, #743 of 768 in Illinois. Most of that expected damage is river and rain flooding (94%). Flood insurance has paid 49 claims here since 1979.

River and rain flooding 94%Tornadoes 4%Earthquakes 1%

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 90%of U.S. townsLess damageMoreExpected yearly damage per dollar of building, vs. the 21,298 U.S. towns we grade#743 of 768 in Illinois
Hazard risk
D#743 of 768
in Illinois · higher than 90% of U.S. towns
Main hazard
River and rain flooding
94% of expected building damage
Flood claims
49
paid since 1979 · $359K
Flooded more than once
3
properties
Disasters paid out here
9
of 21 declared for Cook County

What stands out about Palos Hills’ natural hazards

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

Moved out of harm’s way3 flood-prone properties bought out and cleared with FEMA grants.Remembers 19968 flood claims were paid for 1996 alone, the most of any year.
By hazard

What Palos Hills 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

94%of expected building damage
Well above average · in the top 4% of U.S. census tracts
Recorded about 6 times a year in the area
Smaller shares here
 Tornadoes Earthquakes Hail Strong wind Ice storms Hurricanes Wildfire Winter storms Cold waves Heat waves Landslides Lightning
FEMA models no building damage here
Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity
People, not buildings.Counting harm to people as well as buildings, FEMA’s model puts cold waves at 16% of Palos Hills’ 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 Palos Hills’ grade

River and rain flooding is 94% of the building damage FEMA expects in Palos Hills, and Palos Hills’ rate of river and rain flooding damage is in the top 4% of U.S. census tracts.

Where Palos Hills sits
Palos Hills
Least damageMiddleMost damage

D #743 of 768 in Illinois; higher expected damage per building than 90% of U.S. towns (21,298).

Palos Hills’ residents live in 5 census tracts; FEMA’s figures are combined by where they live.

What drives the damage to buildings
River and rain flooding94%Tornadoes4%Everything else2%

The typical Illinois town has higher expected damage than 54% of U.S. towns; within the state, Palos Hills has more expected damage per building than 97% of Illinois towns.

In dollars, FEMA expects about $15.2M a year in losses across Palos Hills: $11.0M to buildings, the rest to people and crops.

A small-area figure. Palos Hills covers 5 census tracts, combined by where 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 Palos Hills flood? Sometimes: 49 flood claims since 1979

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Palos Hills, from FEMA’s records: 6.1 per 1,000 homes, more than 64% of the 13,809 U.S. towns with a flood insurance record.

Paid flood claims, by year
1979: 3 claims1980: 0 claims1981: 1 claim1982: 7 claims1983: 2 claims1984: 0 claims1985: 2 claims1986: 0 claims1987: 1 claim1988: 0 claims1989: 0 claims1990: 2 claims1991: 0 claims1992: 0 claims1993: 7 claims1994: 0 claims1995: 0 claims1996: 8 claims1997: 7 claims1998: 0 claims1999: 0 claims2000: 0 claims2001: 0 claims2002: 1 claim2003: 1 claim2004: 0 claims2005: 0 claims2006: 1 claim2007: 1 claim2008: 2 claims2009: 0 claims2010: 0 claims2011: 0 claims2012: 0 claims2013: 0 claims2014: 3 claims2015: 0 claims2016: 0 claims2017: 0 claims2018: 0 claims2019: 0 claims2020: 0 claims2021: 0 claims2022: 0 claims2023: 0 claims2024: 0 claims2025: 0 claims2026: 0 claims198219931996
19792026
Biggest named events
  • Hurricane Ike2 claims · $46K
49
paid claims since 1979
$359K
paid to owners
3
homes flooded more than once
$7K
average claim
Homes that flooded again and again
FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0)Flooded 2+ times
of homes in flood zones are insured
of all homes are insured
No community discount

Palos Hills 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.
What’s been done with FEMA grants
3flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money to Palos Hills

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

  1. 2024Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Floodng20 households applied for aid$59K aid approved
  2. 2023Severe Storms and Flooding6 households applied for aid$16K aid approved
  3. 2023Severe Storms and Flooding44 households applied for aid$55K aid approved
  4. 2013Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding15 households applied for aid$56K aid approved
  5. 2011Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm$15K to the City of Palos Hills for repairs
  6. 2010Severe Storms and Flooding20 households applied for aid$40K aid approved
Show all 9
  1. 2008Severe Storms and Flooding8 households applied for aid$2K aid approved2 flood claims paid that year
  2. 2000Illinois Winter Snow Storms$9K to the City of Palos Hills for repairs
  3. 1999Il-winter Storm 1/1/99$8K to the City of Palos Hills for repairs
Disasters declared, by decade
Paid out in Palos HillsCook 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 Palos Hills after a storm or flood belong in the town’s history. Add one, or share what you remember below.

Add to the Palos Hills archive →
Next door

Palos Hills and its neighbors

Palos Hills is 6th of the 6 graded towns here, from least expected damage per building to most. Tap a town to see its hazards.

Hickory Hills: hazard risk B−Bridgeview: hazard risk B−Worth: hazard risk DPalos Park: hazard risk C+Palos Heights: hazard risk DHickory HillsBridgeviewWorthPalos ParkPalos HeightsPalos Hills
Lowest fifthSecondMiddleFourthHighest fifth
TownHazard riskMostly (buildings)Flood claims
Hickory HillsB−more damage than 52%river and rain flooding18
BridgeviewB−more damage than 52%river and rain flooding5
Palos ParkC+more damage than 62%river and rain flooding10
WorthDmore damage than 85%river and rain flooding3
Palos HeightsDmore damage than 86%river and rain flooding9
Palos HillsDmore damage than 90%river and rain flooding49

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 Palos Hills 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 ↗
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 Palos Hills

Is Palos Hills at risk for natural disasters?

On FEMA’s National Risk Index, Palos Hills has higher expected damage per building than 90% of U.S. towns: D for hazard risk, #743 of 768 in Illinois. Most of the expected damage is river and rain flooding (94%). This is FEMA’s model of an average year for today’s buildings, not a forecast.

Does Palos Hills flood?

Flood insurance has paid 49 claims in Palos Hills since 1979, $359K in all, or 6.1 per 1,000 homes, more than 64% of U.S. towns with a flood insurance record. 3 properties have flooded more than once. The most claims came from Hurricane Ike (2).

Is Palos Hills 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 Palos Hills?

FEMA’s Community Rating System list shows no discount for Palos Hills’ 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 Palos Hills?

By FEMA money that reached Palos Hills, Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Floodng (2024): 20 households applied for aid, $59K approved. By flood claims, Hurricane Ike: 2 paid, $46K.

Is Palos Hills at risk from river and rain flooding?

It is the largest share of the building damage FEMA expects here (94%), and Palos Hills’ rate for it is in the top 4% of U.S. census tracts.

Storm stories

Memories, warnings and help from neighbors in Palos Hills.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), census-tract table, combined by where Palos Hills’ 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.