Lancaster County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lancaster 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.
Lancaster County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, strong wind, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 16% 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. Lancaster County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (13), biological (2), flood (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
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 | Very Low | 45.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 34 | 0 | $46K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 82 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 57.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 88.5 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 75 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52.9 | 44 | 0 | $1K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 89.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 52.4 | 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
Lancaster County ranks in the 46th percentile (Low) 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 | 46th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 36th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 66th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 68th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 34th | 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 | 52nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 81 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 44 in 2016–20 vs 37 in 2021–25 (-16% — 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 Lancaster County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lancaster County, South Carolina are ice storm, strong wind, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lancaster County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lancaster County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (13 declarations).
Has Lancaster County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lancaster County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Lancaster County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Union County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Fairfield County, SC has the lowest (Very Low). Lancaster County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Lancaster County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lancaster 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. Lancaster County's composite score of 79 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 79% of US counties.