Natural hazards · Cayce

Cayce, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cayce comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 35 claims here since 1986. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cayce?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cayce to be higher than in 49% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding46%Tornadoes15%Earthquakes15%Hurricanes12%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Cayce faces

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

Inland flooding

46% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

15% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

15% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Hurricanes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Cayce flood?

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

35paid claims since 1986

$893Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 15 claims, $245K
Hurricane Helene: 2 claims, $68K
Hurricane Ian: 1 claim, $2K

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

🏷️ 05% off flood insurance. Cayce is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 9) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Lexington County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

13flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Cayce

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CayceDeclared for Lexington County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

617 households applied for aid $264K aid approved $534K to the City of Cayce for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$6K to the City of Cayce for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

377 households applied for aid $264K aid approved $1.2M to the City of Cayce for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$24K to the City of Cayce for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

$2K to the City of Cayce for repairs

2004

Severe Ice Storm

$46K to the City of Cayce for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$5K to the City of Cayce for repairs

Lexington County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Cayce

Cayce and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Springdalemostly inland floodingModerate

Caycemostly inland floodingModerate

West Columbiamostly inland floodingModerate

Olympiamostly inland floodingModerate

Columbiamostly inland floodingLow

Pine Ridgemostly tornadoesLow

Arthurtownmostly inland floodingLow

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. Cayce covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cayce’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Cayce. 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 Cayce total about $8.6M 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.