South Carolina hurricane risk
Charleston County has the highest hurricane risk in South Carolina, scoring 99.6 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston County | 99.6 | Very High | 0 |
| 2 | Horry County | 99.6 | Very High | 0 |
| 3 | Beaufort County | 99.5 | Very High | 0 |
| 4 | Berkeley County | 98.3 | Very High | 0 |
| 5 | Georgetown County | 98.3 | Very High | 0 |
| 6 | Dorchester County | 97.9 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 7 | Colleton County | 96.4 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 8 | Dillon County | 96.3 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 9 | Jasper County | 96.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 10 | Florence County | 96 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 11 | Orangeburg County | 95.3 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 12 | Williamsburg County | 95.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 13 | Marion County | 94.8 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 14 | Richland County | 94.4 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 15 | Clarendon County | 94.2 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 16 | Hampton County | 93 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 17 | Lexington County | 92.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 18 | Sumter County | 91.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 19 | Chesterfield County | 91 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 20 | Aiken County | 90.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 21 | Bamberg County | 89.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 22 | Marlboro County | 88.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 23 | Darlington County | 87.9 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 24 | Allendale County | 87.5 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 25 | Kershaw County | 86.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 26 | Barnwell County | 85.3 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 27 | Lee County | 85.2 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 28 | Greenville County | 83 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 29 | Spartanburg County | 81.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 30 | Calhoun County | 81 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 31 | Newberry County | 80.2 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 32 | Anderson County | 78 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 33 | Laurens County | 76.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 34 | Saluda County | 75.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 35 | Greenwood County | 75.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 36 | York County | 75.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 37 | Fairfield County | 75.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 38 | Lancaster County | 75 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 39 | Oconee County | 72.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 40 | Union County | 71.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 41 | Cherokee County | 71 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 42 | Pickens County | 70.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 43 | Edgefield County | 69.8 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 44 | Abbeville County | 64.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 45 | Chester County | 63.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 46 | McCormick County | 62.3 | Relatively Low | 0 |
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.
Hurricane risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in South Carolina:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest hurricane risk county in South Carolina?
Charleston County, SC has the highest hurricane risk in South Carolina, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.6 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in South Carolina are rated Very High for hurricane risk?
5 of 46 scored South Carolina counties are rated "Very High" for hurricane risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes hurricane risk in South Carolina?
Hurricane risk covers expected annual losses from tropical cyclone winds — storm surge is captured separately under coastal flooding. High scores concentrate along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Seaboard from Texas through New England, with Florida's peninsula and barrier islands typically leading national rankings. The NRI score also accounts for population exposure and community resilience.