Orangeburg County, SC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Orangeburg County has experienced 31 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.
Orangeburg County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, hurricane, and strong wind, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 48% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (95th 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. Orangeburg County has been designated in 31 declarations since 1977, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (15), flood (3), tropical storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Flood | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 31 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 | 79.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | 60 | 2 | $1.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.6 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | 23 | 2 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76.4 | 36 | 0 | $840 |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 47 | 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
Orangeburg County ranks in the 95th 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 | 95th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 95th | High |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 95th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 92nd | 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 | 58th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 60th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 74.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 119 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 48 in 2016–20 vs 71 in 2021–25 (+48% — 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 Orangeburg County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Orangeburg County, South Carolina are earthquake, hurricane, and strong wind. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Orangeburg County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Orangeburg County has received 31 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Orangeburg County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Orangeburg County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms And Flooding (2025), 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 Orangeburg County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Dorchester County, SC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Calhoun County, SC has the lowest (Very Low). Orangeburg County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Orangeburg County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Orangeburg 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. Orangeburg County's composite score of 88 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 88% of US counties.