South Carolina earthquake risk
Charleston County has the highest earthquake risk in South Carolina, scoring 98.8 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | 98.8 | Relatively High |
| 2 | Dorchester County | 97.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 3 | Berkeley County | 97.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 4 | Horry County | 95.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 5 | Orangeburg County | 95.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 6 | Richland County | 93.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 7 | Colleton County | 93.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 8 | Beaufort County | 93.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 9 | Florence County | 92.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 10 | Greenville County | 92.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 11 | Williamsburg County | 91.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 12 | Spartanburg County | 91.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Georgetown County | 91.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Lexington County | 91.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Sumter County | 91.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Aiken County | 88.9 | Relatively Low |
| 17 | Clarendon County | 88.4 | Relatively Low |
| 18 | Anderson County | 87.4 | Relatively Low |
| 19 | Darlington County | 86.1 | Relatively Low |
| 20 | Dillon County | 85.4 | Relatively Low |
| 21 | York County | 85.2 | Relatively Low |
| 22 | Greenwood County | 84 | Relatively Low |
| 23 | Pickens County | 83.1 | Relatively Low |
| 24 | Hampton County | 82.9 | Relatively Low |
| 25 | Jasper County | 82.7 | Relatively Low |
| 26 | Kershaw County | 82.3 | Relatively Low |
| 27 | Newberry County | 82.3 | Relatively Low |
| 28 | Lancaster County | 82 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Laurens County | 81.9 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Barnwell County | 80.6 | Relatively Low |
| 31 | Oconee County | 80.2 | Relatively Low |
| 32 | Marion County | 80 | Relatively Low |
| 33 | Bamberg County | 79.3 | Relatively Low |
| 34 | Chesterfield County | 78.1 | Relatively Low |
| 35 | Allendale County | 76.9 | Relatively Low |
| 36 | Abbeville County | 74.4 | Relatively Low |
| 37 | Cherokee County | 74.2 | Relatively Low |
| 38 | Union County | 74.1 | Relatively Low |
| 39 | Marlboro County | 72.7 | Relatively Low |
| 40 | Calhoun County | 72.5 | Relatively Low |
| 41 | Lee County | 72.2 | Relatively Low |
| 42 | Chester County | 71.3 | Relatively Low |
| 43 | Fairfield County | 69.5 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Edgefield County | 68.1 | Relatively Low |
| 45 | Saluda County | 66.8 | Relatively Low |
| 46 | McCormick County | 51.3 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Earthquake risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in South Carolina:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest earthquake risk county in South Carolina?
Charleston County, SC has the highest earthquake risk in South Carolina, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.8 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes earthquake risk in South Carolina?
Earthquake risk reflects expected annual losses from ground shaking. High scores concentrate in California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and the New Madrid Seismic Zone (spanning Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, and neighboring states). NOAA's Storm Events Database does not track earthquakes, so recorded event counts are not shown.