Horry County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Horry County has experienced 34 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Horry County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 15% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th 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. Horry County has been designated in 34 declarations since 1989, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (18), fire (4), tropical storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Fire | Covington Drive Fire |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 34 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 Moderate | 89.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92 | 72 | 3 | $8.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 87.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.9 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.7 | 20 | 0 | $2.0M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.5 | 46 | 0 | $6K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.9 | 15 | 0 | $7.2M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.5 | 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
Horry County ranks in the 70th 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 | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 74th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 73rd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 58th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 49th | Low |
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 | 61st | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 45.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 153 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 71 in 2016–20 vs 82 in 2021–25 (+15% — 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 Horry County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Horry County, South Carolina are hurricane, tornado, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Horry County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Horry County has received 34 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (18 declarations).
Has Horry County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Horry County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Covington Drive Fire (2025), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Horry County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Brunswick County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Marion County, SC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Horry County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Horry County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Horry 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. Horry County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.