Natural hazards · Anderson

Anderson, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Anderson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1998. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Anderson?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Anderson to be higher than in 42% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding49%Cold waves16%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes9%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Anderson faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

49% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 62% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Anderson flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Anderson, from FEMA’s records.

10paid claims since 1998

$154Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19982026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 1 claim, $23K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Anderson isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Anderson County.

Disasters that hit Anderson

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Anderson itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Anderson.

Brought FEMA money into AndersonDeclared for Anderson County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

19,331 households applied for aid $14.2M aid approved $2.1M to the City of Anderson for repairs

2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

$63K to the City of Anderson for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$142K to the City of Anderson for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

$21K to the City of Anderson for repairs

2005

Severe Ice Storm

$159K to the City of Anderson for repairs

Anderson County has had 15 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Anderson covers 8 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Anderson’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Anderson. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Anderson total about $9.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.