Beaufort County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Beaufort County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Beaufort County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and coastal flooding, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 133% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Beaufort County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (14), tropical storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1977.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 19 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 82 | 7 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 68.6 | 22 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 73.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.2 | 32 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 25.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Beaufort County ranks in the 47th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 47th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 27th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 69th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 59th | Moderate |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 77th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 83rd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 71.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 80 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 24 in 2016–20 vs 56 in 2021–25 (+133% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Beaufort County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Beaufort County, South Carolina are hurricane, lightning, and coastal flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Beaufort County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Beaufort County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (14 declarations).
Has Beaufort County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Beaufort County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Beaufort County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chatham County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Effingham County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Beaufort County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Beaufort County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Beaufort County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Beaufort County's composite score of 97 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 97% of US counties.