Lexington County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Lexington County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 90.9 of 100, higher than 90% of rated U.S. counties); 4 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm, tornado, strong wind. Its storm record holds 1,352 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 | Very High | 96.7 | $2.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 97.6 | $24M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.3 | $2.9M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 92.2 | $1.6M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.3 | $4.3M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 92.1 | $13M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 91.4 | $7.6M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 90.6 | $47M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $1.0M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 77.9 | $3.6M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | $202K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 75.6 | $11K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 75.3 | $301K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 63.4 | $398K |
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 | 808 | 2 | $3.2M | 1st of 46 | 92nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 303 | 0 | $519K | 3rd of 46 | 267th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 92 | 0 | $24M | 8th of 46 | 1223rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 49 | 1 | $118M | 9th of 46 | 839th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 28 | 0 | $15K | 26th of 46 | 2423rd of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 26 | 1 | $1.6M | 16th of 46 | 1668th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 20 | 0 | $13K | 2nd of 46 | 342nd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 12 | 2 | $2.4M | 15th of 46 | 463rd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 0 | $19M | 25th of 46 | 594th of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | – | 26th of 46 | 2717th 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 Lexington County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.