Orangeburg County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Orangeburg County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 87.7 of 100, higher than 87% of rated U.S. counties); 4 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane, strong wind, ice storm. Its storm record holds 989 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 | 95.3 | $15M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.4 | $1.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.9 | $481K |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 86.6 | $634K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.6 | $11M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.6 | $1.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 76.4 | $466K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.8 | $11M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 75.4 | $454K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | $1.7M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | $1.4M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 64.9 | $68K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 79.9 | $261K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 47.0 | $725 |
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 | 545 | 2 | $1.6M | 31st of 46 | 751st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 207 | 0 | $161K | 19th of 46 | 1090th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 77 | 2 | $41M | 26th of 46 | 2142nd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 75 | 2 | $27M | 4th of 46 | 480th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 30 | 0 | – | 39th of 46 | 2763rd of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 19 | 0 | $1.3M | 36th of 46 | 2243rd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 14 | 0 | $14M | 29th of 46 | 639th of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 0 | – | 16th of 46 | 1003rd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 8 | 1 | $1.2M | 28th of 46 | 1048th 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 Orangeburg County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.