Water damage restoration · Wheaton, Illinois
Water damage restoration in Wheaton, IL
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? Wheaton-area ZIPs: 232 flood claims since 1978[1]; 62% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. Wheaton, in DuPage County — ZIPs 60189, 60187, counts 54,065 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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Wheaton at a glance for water damage
- Population (2025 est.)
- 54,065[3]+0.1% since 2020
- County
- DuPage[3]
- Land area
- 11.3 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 232 since 1978[1]$1,325,475 paid across 175 claims · ZIP 60189, 60187
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 77[5]2016–2025 · latest Aug 18, 2025
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, DuPage Co.
- 3[6]of 8 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 62%[2]the 6th-highest share of the 15 Chicago-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 28%[2]2020–2024
What the local data means for water damage in Wheaton
Wheaton counts 54,065 residents (2025 estimate), growing at a middle-of-the-pack 0.1% since 2020[3]. On the map that's 11.3 square miles holding 4,776 residents per square mile, the 3rd densest of the suburbs here; it sits entirely in DuPage County, with ZIP codes 60189, 60187[4].
Wheaton mixes 5% of homes built since 2010 and 62% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
2 ZIP codes cover Wheaton — 60189 (52% of the city's land), 60187 (48% of the city's land)[7].
The tracked suburbs closest by are Downers Grove (6.2 mi SE), Naperville (7.9 mi S) and Aurora (11.4 mi SW)[4].
232 flood-insurance claims have come from Wheaton-area ZIP codes (60189, 60187) since 1978, and $1,325,475 has been paid on them (about $7,574 per paid claim)[1]. 2013 was the worst year, with 37 claims. That is the 5th-most of the 15 Chicago-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Downers Grove (158), Naperville (226), and Aurora (304). Outside water is a real part of the picture here. Of the 207 claims rated in a flood zone, 85 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 122 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, Wheaton-area flood claims cluster in April (45), August (45), and September (34) — 124 of 232 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central Wheaton, weather observers filed 77 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (27 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 3 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding (DR-4116, 2013)[6]. Nearby: Downers Grove (97), Naperville (78), and Aurora (55).
62% of Wheaton's 20,359 housing units predate 1980[2] — the 6th-highest share of the 15 Chicago-area suburbs we cover (Downers Grove (64%), Naperville (26%), and Aurora (42%)). Expect a mix of original and replaced plumbing.
72% of Wheaton households own their home[2], so most claims and rebuilds here are coordinated by the owner.
Measured against the 15 suburbs on this site, Wheaton records the 3rd-most flood reports nearby (77)[5] and the 3rd-highest median home value ($455,700)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
Wheaton storm calendar
Within 10 miles of Wheaton, 2016–2025: 27 flash-flood reports, 44 flood reports, and 6 heavy-rain reports[5]. Peak: 69% in May, June, and July. Busiest year 2020 (16). Busiest month May 2020 (11). Latest: flash-flood report, Aug 18, 2025, 8.9 mi out.
| Month | Flash flood | Flood | Heavy rain | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| Mar | – | 2 | – | 2 |
| Apr | – | 5 | – | 5 |
| May | 8 | 12 | 1 | 21 |
| Jun | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 |
| Jul | 8 | 10 | 4 | 22 |
| Aug | 7 | 2 | – | 9 |
| Sep | 1 | 2 | – | 3 |
| Oct | – | 3 | – | 3 |
Get water damage help in Wheaton
Water damage restoration contractors taking requests around Wheaton cover ZIP codes 60189, 60187.
Before reaching out: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: Wheaton homes by building type
42%[2] of Wheaton's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 30%, the 6th-highest multi-unit share of the 15 Chicago-area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is attached house (townhouse, rowhouse): 2,344 of 20,359 housing units[2].
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 11,812 | 58.0% | ±429 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 2,344 | 11.5% | ±295 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 217 | 1.1% | ±127 |
| 3–4 units | 1,234 | 6.1% | ±228 |
| 5–9 units | 1,012 | 5.0% | ±261 |
| 10–19 units | 989 | 4.9% | ±189 |
| 20–49 units | 957 | 4.7% | ±203 |
| 50 or more units | 1,794 | 8.8% | ±332 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
The Wheaton numbers behind this page
| Measure | Wheaton | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 232 | 158 | 74 more |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 77 | 56 | 21 more |
| Median home value | $455,700 | $355,600 | 28% higher |
| Built before 1980 | 62% | 55% | 7 pts higher |
| Renter-occupied | 28% | 26% | 2 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 72% | 74% | 2 pts lower |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1977 | 1 year older |
Biggest gaps first. Medians are middle values across the Chicago-area suburbs we cover, drawn from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Freeze days | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton | 232 | 77 | — | 62% | 28% |
| Downers Grove 6.2 mi | 158 | 97 | — | 64% | 25% |
| Naperville 7.9 mi | 226 | 78 | — | 26% | 25% |
| Aurora 11.4 mi | 304 | 55 | 55 | 42% | 34% |
| Bolingbrook 11.7 mi | 101 | 76 | 13 | 41% | 21% |
| Schaumburg 12.0 mi | 40 | 44 | 20 | 53% | 37% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60189 | 61 | $351,732 | 1982 (11) | 41 of 54 |
| 60187 | 171 | $973,743 | 2013 (30) | 81 of 153 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2013 | 37 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2010 | 19 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2008 | 13 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| February | 3 |
| March | 21 |
| April | 45 |
| May | 12 |
| June | 9 |
| July | 30 |
| August | 45 |
| September | 34 |
| October | 25 |
| November | 1 |
| December | 7 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 7.3 mi |
| Aug 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 6.4 mi |
| Aug 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 7.2 mi |
| Aug 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 9.4 mi |
| Aug 18, 2025 | Flash Flood | 8.9 mi |
| Aug 12, 2025 | Flash Flood | 8.3 mi |
| Aug 12, 2025 | Flood | 6.6 mi |
| Jul 27, 2025 | Heavy Rain | 8.8 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of Wheaton's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 60189 | 52% | 56% |
| 60187 | 48% | 81% |
Common Wheaton water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in Wheaton?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and Wheaton-area ZIPs have 10 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which Wheaton ZIP codes do these crews cover?
60189 and 60187[7], in DuPage County. Nearby pages: Downers Grove (6.2 mi), Naperville (7.9 mi), and Aurora (11.4 mi)[4].
Which Wheaton ZIP code has the most flood claims?
60187, with 171 NFIP claims and $973,743 paid[1].
When was the last flood report near Wheaton?
Aug 18, 2025: a flash flood report 7.3 miles from the city center[5].
I rent in Wheaton. Who arranges the repair?
28% of occupied Wheaton homes are rented[2], the 5th-highest share of the 15 Chicago-area suburbs we cover. Tell your landlord or property manager in writing first; your lease says who arranges repairs.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.