Beaufort County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Beaufort County's overall risk Relatively High (score 97.1 of 100, higher than 97% of rated U.S. counties); 5 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane, lightning, coastal flooding. Its storm record holds 1,086 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.5 | $201M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.2 | $2.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 94.2 | $9.8M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88.0 | $747K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 86.3 | $1.6M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.6 | $9.8M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 90.3 | $1.4M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 87.9 | $2.5M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 82.0 | $4.2M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | $20M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 73.5 | $2.4M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.9 | $124K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 68.6 | $507K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.4 | $87K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 25.9 | $202 |
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 | 592 | 0 | $1.4M | 10th of 46 | 259th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 134 | 0 | $1.4M | 25th of 46 | 1225th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 79 | 0 | $106K | 7th of 46 | 1159th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 66 | 3 | $5.0M | 1st of 46 | 42nd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 42 | 0 | – | 16th of 46 | 1201st of 3,063 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 39 | 0 | $551K | 1st of 46 | 148th of 1,849 |
| High wind and dust storms | 36 | 5 | $89K | 7th of 46 | 1137th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 31 | 1 | $5.9M | 17th of 46 | 1128th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 26 | 1 | – | 1st of 46 | 935th of 3,076 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 16 | 5 | $228K | 3rd of 46 | 70th of 2,080 |
| Winter storms | 10 | 0 | $20K | 46th of 46 | 2838th of 3,077 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 2 | – | 13th of 46 | 1899th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | – | 27th of 46 | 1562nd of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 0 | $66K | 5th of 46 | 641st of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Beaufort County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.