Natural hazards · Bluffton

Bluffton, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Bluffton comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 16 claims here since 1987. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Bluffton?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Bluffton to be higher than in 97% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes80%Inland flooding9%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Bluffton faces

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

Hurricanes

80% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

9% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 17% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Bluffton flood?

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

16paid claims since 1987

$500Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Debby: 10 claims, $358K
Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $103K

Homes that flooded again and again

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

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Beaufort County.

Disasters that hit Bluffton

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into BlufftonDeclared for Beaufort County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

385 households applied for aid $255K aid approved $99K to the Town of Bluffton for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$71K to the Town of Bluffton for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$43K to the Town of Bluffton for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

914 households applied for aid $347K aid approved $118K to the Town of Bluffton for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$7K to the Town of Bluffton for repairs

Beaufort County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter 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. Bluffton covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Bluffton’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Bluffton. 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 Bluffton total about $30.8M 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.