Chester County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Chester County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 43.2 of 100, higher than 43% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm. Its storm record holds 433 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 | 82.3 | $394K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 76.4 | $498K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 74.5 | $2.4M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 66.8 | $1.5M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 64.4 | $653K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 71.3 | $690K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 63.9 | $249K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 41.7 | $4.1M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 41.2 | $194K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 40.8 | $57K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 45.5 | $28K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 41.4 | $579 |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.0 | $94K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 21.2 | $15K |
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 | 197 | 0 | $876K | 37th of 46 | 853rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 94 | 0 | – | 21st of 46 | 1120th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 46 | 0 | $12M | 9th of 46 | 1839th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 34 | 0 | – | 8th of 46 | 793rd of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 1 | $19M | 34th of 46 | 1606th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 13 | 0 | $203K | 34th of 46 | 2384th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 0 | $60M | 11th of 46 | 1499th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 0 | $43K | 30th of 46 | 2132nd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | – | 16th of 46 | 1738th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | – | 24th of 46 | 1316th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | $470K | 39th of 46 | 803rd of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | – | 44th of 46 | 2006th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Chester County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.