Natural hazards · Conway

Conway, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Conway comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 307 claims here since 1981. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Conway?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Conway to be higher than in 90% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes63%Inland flooding17%Earthquakes9%Tornadoes6%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Conway faces

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

Hurricanes

63% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

17% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 36% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Conway flood?

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

307paid claims since 1981

$21.4Mpaid to owners

65homes flooded more than once

19812026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 109 claims, $15.0M
Hurricane Matthew: 58 claims, $2.9M
Hurricane Floyd: 48 claims, $1.7M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (10) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Horry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

151flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

19buildings retrofitted against wind

6homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Conway

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ConwayDeclared for Horry County only

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$484K to the City of Conway for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$5K to the City of Conway for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

945 households applied for aid $578K aid approved $159K to the City of Conway for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$110K to the City of Conway for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

2,061 households applied for aid $5.2M aid approved $2.6M to the City of Conway for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$22K to the City of Conway for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1,702 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $862K to the City of Conway for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,677 households applied for aid $1.2M aid approved $102K to the City of Conway for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$270K to the City of Conway for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

261 households applied for aid $263K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Charley

$28K to the City of Conway for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$970K to the City of Conway for repairs

Horry County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Conway

Conway and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Conwaymostly hurricanesVery high

Homewoodmostly hurricanesVery high

Carolina Forestmostly hurricanesVery high

Red Hillmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Conway covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Conway’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Conway. 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 Conway total about $22.5M 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.