Darlington County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Darlington County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Darlington County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, earthquake, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 45% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (89th 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. Darlington County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (15), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 total declarations since 1989.
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 Low | 74 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.2 | 9 | 0 | $1.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | 4 | 0 | $140K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 87.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 71 | 18 | 0 | $1K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 68.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 69.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 30.3 | 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
Darlington County ranks in the 89th percentile (High) 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 | 89th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 87th | High |
| Household characteristics | 75th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 85th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | High |
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 | 68th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 73.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 31 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 20 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-45% — frequency decreasing).
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 Darlington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Darlington County, South Carolina are hurricane, earthquake, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Darlington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Darlington County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Darlington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Darlington County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Darlington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Florence County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Lee County, SC has the lowest (Very Low). Darlington County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Darlington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Darlington 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. Darlington County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.