Calhoun County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Calhoun County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Calhoun County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, earthquake, and drought, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 32 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Calhoun County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (16), flood (3), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 30 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 | Very Low | 51.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 19.4 | 5 | 0 | $15K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 72.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 41.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 37.9 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 81 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 28 | 14 | 0 | $710 |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 42.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 22.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 26.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Calhoun County ranks in the 73rd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 76th | High |
| Household characteristics | 52nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 84th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 56th | 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 | 57th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 82.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 32 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
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 Calhoun County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Calhoun County, South Carolina are hurricane, earthquake, and drought. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Calhoun County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Calhoun County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Calhoun County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Calhoun County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms And Flooding (2025), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Calhoun County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Richland County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bamberg County, SC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Calhoun County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Calhoun County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Calhoun 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. Calhoun County's composite score of 23 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 23% of US counties.