Marion County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Marion County has experienced 28 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Marion County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, cold wave, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 21 storm events in the county over the past decade. 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. Marion County has been designated in 28 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (16), severe ice storm (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 28 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 | 68.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 55.5 | 11 | 0 | $1.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 17.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 67.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75 | 4 | 0 | $350K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 52.7 | 6 | 0 | $2K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 61.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 91.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 13.3 | 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
Marion 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 | 91st | High |
| Household characteristics | 67th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 93rd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 73rd | 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 | 66th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 65th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (+10% — relatively stable).
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 Marion County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Marion County, South Carolina are hurricane, cold wave, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Marion County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Marion County has received 28 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (16 declarations).
Has Marion County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Marion County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Hurricane Helene (2024), Hurricane Debby (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Marion County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Horry County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Marlboro County, SC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Marion County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Marion County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Marion 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. Marion County's composite score of 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.