Natural Disaster Risk in Kankakee County

Natural Hazard Profile: Kankakee County, Illinois

Kankakee County is located in the United States in Illinois, home to roughly 107,359 residents. The county experiences bitterly cold winters and hot, humid summers, with a severe thunderstorm and tornado season each spring shaping the natural hazards faced by its communities. FEMA assesses risk at this county level, providing the baseline for every city and ZIP code within its boundaries.

FEMA rates Kankakee County's composite natural disaster risk at 6.1 out of 10 — high risk. Cold wave events are the primary hazard risk, driven by periodic invasions of Arctic air that drive wind chills to life-threatening levels and stress heating systems. Residents should also account for tornado and earthquake risk in their preparedness planning.

Kankakee County's risk score, near the 5.8/10 state average and above the U.S. national average of 4.5/10. Of the 18 hazard categories tracked by FEMA for Kankakee County, the highest-scoring are cold wave, tornado, and earthquake. These scores reflect county-level data and represent the baseline risk that all communities in the county share.

With a high natural disaster risk rating, Kankakee County residents benefit from taking preparedness seriously. Reviewing insurance coverage for cold wave and secondary hazards, registering for emergency alerts, and maintaining a household emergency kit are practical steps that can significantly reduce impact during a major event.