Natural hazards · Darlington

Darlington, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Darlington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 24 claims here since 1987. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Darlington?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Darlington to be higher than in 38% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and earthquakes.

Inland flooding29%Earthquakes18%Tornadoes17%Hurricanes16%Cold waves6%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Darlington faces

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

Inland flooding

29% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Earthquakes

18% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

17% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

16% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 5 years in the area

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Darlington flood?

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

24paid claims since 1987

$482Kpaid to owners

6homes flooded more than once

19872026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 5 claims, $154K
Hurricane Florence: 5 claims, $190K
Hurricane Matthew: 3 claims, $33K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Darlington County.

Disasters that hit Darlington

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DarlingtonDeclared for Darlington County only

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$95K to the City of Darlington for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

305 households applied for aid $184K aid approved $112K to the City of Darlington for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

829 households applied for aid $356K aid approved $391K to the City of Darlington for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,384 households applied for aid $870K aid approved $75K to the City of Darlington for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

175 households applied for aid $80K aid approved

Darlington County has had 18 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. Darlington covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Darlington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Darlington. 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 Darlington total about $731K 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.