Saluda County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Saluda County's overall risk Very Low (score 40.1 of 100, higher than 40% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 355 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 Moderate | 70.3 | $147K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 75.7 | $726K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 66.8 | $437K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 64.2 | $286K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.0 | $1.3M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 62.1 | $210K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 49.1 | $352K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 46.6 | $3.9M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 44.9 | $190K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 41.3 | $111K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 39.3 | $419K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 52.3 | $35K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 13.1 | $7K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 10.9 | $21 |
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 | 216 | 0 | $945K | 23rd of 46 | 597th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 76 | 0 | $7.3M | 32nd of 46 | 1380th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 21 | 0 | $7K | 18th of 46 | 2297th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 3 | $13M | 31st of 46 | 1499th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 0 | $54K | 19th of 46 | 1813th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 7 | 0 | $46K | 40th of 46 | 2600th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | $35M | 27th of 46 | 623rd of 1,849 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | – | 21st of 46 | 2633rd 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 Saluda County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.