Marlboro County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Marlboro County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 57.5 of 100, higher than 57% 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 382 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 | 92.7 | $698K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 88.2 | $3.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 73.7 | $1.7M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 69.7 | $562K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 57.9 | $180K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 73.7 | $133K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 72.7 | $557K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 63.4 | $392K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.5 | $772K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 51.1 | $91K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 44.8 | $31K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41.8 | $110K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 41.0 | $2.9M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.4 | $56 |
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 | 221 | 0 | $2.1M | 35th of 46 | 780th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 61 | 0 | $10K | 36th of 46 | 1516th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 28 | 1 | $7.3M | 15th of 46 | 2141st of 3,077 |
| Floods | 17 | 1 | $1.2M | 36th of 46 | 2464th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 15 | 9 | $149M | 37th of 46 | 1797th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 10 | 0 | – | 19th of 46 | 1610th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 0 | $78K | 28th of 46 | 2079th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 0 | – | 10th of 46 | 730th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 0 | $1.3M | 15th of 46 | 466th of 1,849 |
| Heat | 4 | 0 | – | 9th of 46 | 1596th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $198K | 29th of 46 | 1057th 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 Marlboro County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.