Natural hazards · Chesnee

Chesnee, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Chesnee comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Chesnee?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Chesnee to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding43%Cold waves18%Earthquakes17%Tornadoes5%Ice storms5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Chesnee faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 14% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Earthquakes

17% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

5% of expected damage

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

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherHeat 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 Chesnee flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Chesnee.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Spartanburg County.

Disasters that hit Chesnee

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ChesneeDeclared for Spartanburg County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

4,131 households applied for aid $3.1M aid approved

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

7 households applied for aid $6K aid approved

2005

Severe Ice Storm

$10K to the City of Chesnee for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

1 household applied for aid $2K aid approved

Spartanburg County has had 19 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. Chesnee covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Chesnee’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Chesnee. 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 Chesnee total about $599K 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.