Natural hazards · Cheraw

Cheraw, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Cheraw comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1982. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Cheraw?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Cheraw to be higher than in 48% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding33%Hurricanes26%Tornadoes16%Earthquakes9%Strong wind5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Cheraw faces

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

Inland flooding

33% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Hurricanes

26% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 88% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

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

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Cheraw flood?

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

8paid claims since 1982

$140Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19822026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 5 claims, $129K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Chesterfield County.

Disasters that hit Cheraw

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CherawDeclared for Chesterfield County only

2018

Hurricane Florence

789 households applied for aid $404K aid approved $594K to the Town of Cheraw for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

171 households applied for aid $87K aid approved $313K to the Town of Cheraw for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

2 households applied for aid

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

12 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$56K to the Town of Cheraw for repairs

Chesterfield County has had 17 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. Cheraw covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Cheraw’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Cheraw. 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 Cheraw total about $1.2M 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.