Aiken County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Aiken County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 84.2 of 100, higher than 84% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm, lightning. Its storm record holds 886 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.1 | $1.0M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.2 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90.1 | $6.9M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.4 | $5.4M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | $2.1M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | $23M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 73.3 | $591K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.5 | $943K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 70.9 | $2.0M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.9 | $4.0M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 82.2 | $466K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 80.9 | $15K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 58.7 | $236K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 53.0 | $64K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 538 | 0 | $2.5M | 33rd of 46 | 773rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 207 | 0 | $138K | 28th of 46 | 1257th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 44 | 1 | $12M | 27th of 46 | 1364th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 27 | 0 | $547K | 41st of 46 | 2606th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 19 | 0 | $131K | 35th of 46 | 2218th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 16 | 0 | – | 40th of 46 | 2769th of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 0 | $241 | 13th of 46 | 912th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 11 | 1 | $825K | 25th of 46 | 764th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 10 | $53M | 33rd of 46 | 729th of 1,849 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 0 | – | 6th of 46 | 729th of 2,972 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | – | 28th of 46 | 2790th of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Aiken County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.