Colleton County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Colleton County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 85.5 of 100, higher than 85% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane. Its storm record holds 1,543 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 | Relatively High | 96.4 | $20M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 93.7 | $6.9M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.2 | $1.3M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 68.2 | $613K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.5 | $257K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 63.0 | $101K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 82.8 | $369K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 74.2 | $739K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 60.6 | $1.2M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 56.4 | $5.3M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.9 | $657K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.4 | $93K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 48.2 | $40K |
| Hail | Very Low | 31.8 | $86K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.5 | $73 |
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 | 954 | 1 | $1.6M | 17th of 46 | 478th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 179 | 0 | $165K | 6th of 46 | 1061st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 125 | 0 | $5K | 41st of 46 | 2044th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 83 | 0 | $2.9M | 19th of 46 | 1743rd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 45 | 0 | $1.1M | 6th of 46 | 288th of 1,849 |
| Drought | 42 | 0 | – | 20th of 46 | 1650th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 0 | $1.2M | 40th of 46 | 1904th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 31 | 1 | $105K | 43rd of 46 | 2790th of 3,077 |
| Heat | 13 | 0 | – | 12th of 46 | 1658th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 11 | 0 | $187K | 24th of 46 | 695th of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 10 | 1 | $20K | 5th of 46 | 110th of 2,080 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 0 | – | 18th of 46 | 2319th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | $633 | 36th of 46 | 1947th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 10th of 46 | 1161st 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 Colleton County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.