Jasper County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jasper County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Jasper County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, earthquake, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 57% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (88th 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. Jasper County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (15), tropical storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 24 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 | Relatively Low | 76.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 34.8 | 11 | 0 | $135K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 59 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 82.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 35.8 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 96.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 30.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 20.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 31.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 30.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.8 | 2 | 0 | $1K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 47 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 6.9 | 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
Jasper County ranks in the 88th 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 | 88th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 85th | High |
| Household characteristics | 65th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 89th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | 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 | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 20 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 6 in 2021–25 (-57% — 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 Jasper County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jasper County, South Carolina are hurricane, earthquake, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Jasper County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jasper County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Jasper County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jasper County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Jasper County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Chatham County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Effingham County, GA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Jasper County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Jasper County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jasper 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. Jasper County's composite score of 79 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 79% of US counties.