Hurricane Risk in South Carolina
All South Carolina counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index hurricane score
Hurricane risk — tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge — is rated for 46 of 46 South Carolina counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Charleston County carries the state's highest hurricane score at 99.6, with $281M in expected annual hurricane losses.
15 South Carolina counties are rated High or Very High for hurricane, and expected annual losses from hurricane total roughly $1.19B statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Hurricane
| # | County | Hurricane Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | Very High | 0.34 / yr | $281M | |
| 2 | Horry County | Very High | 0.30 / yr | $200M | |
| 3 | Beaufort County | Very High | 0.34 / yr | $201M | |
| 4 | Berkeley County | Very High | 0.32 / yr | $116M | |
| 5 | Georgetown County | Very High | 0.33 / yr | $64M | |
| 6 | Dorchester County | High | 0.31 / yr | $84M | |
| 7 | Colleton County | High | 0.30 / yr | $20M | |
| 8 | Dillon County | High | 0.25 / yr | $20M | |
| 9 | Jasper County | High | 0.33 / yr | $22M | |
| 10 | Florence County | High | 0.26 / yr | $23M | |
| 11 | Orangeburg County | High | 0.25 / yr | $15M | |
| 12 | Williamsburg County | High | 0.30 / yr | $15M | |
| 13 | Marion County | High | 0.27 / yr | $13M | |
| 14 | Richland County | High | 0.19 / yr | $19M | |
| 15 | Clarendon County | High | 0.29 / yr | $11M | |
| 16 | Hampton County | Medium | 0.26 / yr | $8M | |
| 17 | Lexington County | Medium | 0.17 / yr | $13M | |
| 18 | Sumter County | Medium | 0.24 / yr | $10M | |
| 19 | Chesterfield County | Medium | 0.19 / yr | $6M | |
| 20 | Aiken County | Medium | 0.14 / yr | $7M | |
| 21 | Bamberg County | Medium | 0.23 / yr | $4M | |
| 22 | Marlboro County | Medium | 0.23 / yr | $3M | |
| 23 | Darlington County | Medium | 0.22 / yr | $4M | |
| 24 | Allendale County | Medium | 0.22 / yr | $3M | |
| 25 | Kershaw County | Medium | 0.19 / yr | $4M | |
| 26 | Barnwell County | Medium | 0.18 / yr | $2M | |
| 27 | Lee County | Medium | 0.25 / yr | $3M | |
| 28 | Greenville County | Medium | 0.04 / yr | $3M | |
| 29 | Spartanburg County | Low | 0.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 30 | Calhoun County | Low | 0.22 / yr | $2M | |
| 31 | Newberry County | Low | 0.11 / yr | $2M | |
| 32 | Anderson County | Low | 0.06 / yr | $1M | |
| 33 | Laurens County | Low | 0.07 / yr | $954K | |
| 34 | Saluda County | Low | 0.08 / yr | $726K | |
| 35 | Greenwood County | Low | 0.07 / yr | $924K | |
| 36 | York County | Low | 0.08 / yr | $1M | |
| 37 | Fairfield County | Low | 0.14 / yr | $684K | |
| 38 | Lancaster County | Low | 0.16 / yr | $948K | |
| 39 | Oconee County | Low | 0.04 / yr | $601K | |
| 40 | Union County | Low | 0.07 / yr | $415K | |
| 41 | Cherokee County | Low | 0.06 / yr | $537K | |
| 42 | Pickens County | Low | 0.04 / yr | $615K | |
| 43 | Edgefield County | Low | 0.08 / yr | $504K | |
| 44 | Abbeville County | Low | 0.06 / yr | $233K | |
| 45 | Chester County | Low | 0.10 / yr | $249K | |
| 46 | McCormick County | Low | 0.06 / yr | $158K |
46 South Carolina counties with measurable hurricane risk. See the national hurricane ranking or all South Carolina counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which South Carolina county has the highest hurricane risk?
Charleston County has the highest FEMA hurricane risk score in South Carolina at 99.6 (Very High), with $281M in expected annual losses and about 0.34 events per year.
How many South Carolina counties face significant hurricane risk?
46 South Carolina counties record measurable hurricane risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 15 of them are rated High or Very High.