Natural hazards · Estill

Estill, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Estill comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2016. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Estill?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Estill to be higher than in 82% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and inland flooding.

Hurricanes55%Inland flooding16%Earthquakes8%Heat waves5%Everything else16%

By hazard

What Estill faces

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

Hurricanes

55% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Inland flooding

16% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 22% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 79% of U.S. places

Heat waves

5% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold 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 Estill flood?

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

1paid claims since 2016

$394paid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $394

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Hampton County.

Disasters that hit Estill

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into EstillDeclared for Hampton County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

882 households applied for aid $997K aid approved $90K to the Town of Estill for repairs

2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

125 households applied for aid $907K aid approved $10K to the Town of Estill for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

155 households applied for aid $28K aid approved $35K to the Town of Estill for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$3K to the Town of Estill for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$3K to the Town of Estill for repairs

Hampton County has had 16 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. Estill is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Estill’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Estill. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

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.