Greenville County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Greenville County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Greenville County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, lightning, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 32% 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. Greenville County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1977, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (11), severe ice storm (3), fire (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Fire | Table Rock Fire Complex |
| 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 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 26 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 | 55.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 96 | 18 | 0 | $3.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.6 | 10 | 0 | $5.9M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 83 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 91.1 | 69 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very High | 99.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 95.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.3 | 2 | 0 | $300K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.2 | 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
Greenville County ranks in the 62nd 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 48th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 55th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | 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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 48th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 52.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 99 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 59 in 2016–20 vs 40 in 2021–25 (-32% — 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 Greenville County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Greenville County, South Carolina are ice storm, lightning, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Greenville County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Greenville County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (11 declarations).
Has Greenville County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Greenville County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Table Rock Fire Complex (2025), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Greenville County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Spartanburg County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Polk County, NC has the lowest (Very Low). Greenville County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Greenville County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Greenville 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. Greenville County's composite score of 94 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 94% of US counties.