Natural hazards · Dillon

Dillon, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Dillon comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 18 claims here since 2016. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Dillon?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Dillon to be higher than in 80% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes59%Inland flooding17%Earthquakes8%Tornadoes7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Dillon faces

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

Hurricanes

59% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

17% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

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

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 74% of U.S. places

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 Dillon flood?

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

18paid claims since 2016

$825Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Florence: 13 claims, $638K
Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $136K
Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $22K

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. Dillon isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Dillon County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Dillon

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into DillonDeclared for Dillon County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$14K to the City of Dillon for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

1,515 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $52K to the City of Dillon for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$10K to the City of Dillon for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1,540 households applied for aid $1.8M aid approved $243K to the City of Dillon for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$58K to the City of Dillon for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

293 households applied for aid $178K aid approved

2004

Severe Ice Storm

$31K to the City of Dillon for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$2K to the City of Dillon for repairs

Dillon 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. Dillon covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Dillon’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Dillon. 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 Dillon total about $4.0M 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.