Dillon County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Dillon County has experienced 29 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Dillon County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, strong wind, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th 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. Dillon County has been designated in 29 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (16), tropical storm (3), severe ice storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 29 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 | 81.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.5 | 8 | 0 | $2.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.4 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 61.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | 4 | 0 | $30K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 96.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 61.1 | 4 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 52.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 46.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 16.6 | 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
Dillon County ranks in the 97th 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 | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 98th | High |
| Household characteristics | 92nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | 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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 70.2% | — |
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 Dillon County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Dillon County, South Carolina are hurricane, strong wind, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Dillon County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Dillon County has received 29 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Dillon County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Dillon County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Dillon County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Robeson County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Marlboro County, SC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Dillon County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Dillon County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Dillon 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. Dillon County's composite score of 84 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 84% of US counties.