Natural hazards · Gaffney

Gaffney, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Gaffney comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2 claims here since 2013. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Gaffney?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Gaffney to be higher than in 37% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding52%Tornadoes18%Earthquakes7%Strong wind6%Cold waves5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Gaffney faces

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

Inland flooding

52% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 49% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Tornadoes

18% of expected damage

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

Earthquakes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Gaffney flood?

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

2paid claims since 2013

$3Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20132026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Cherokee County.

Disasters that hit Gaffney

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GaffneyDeclared for Cherokee County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

7,457 households applied for aid $4.3M aid approved $408K to the City of Gaffney for repairs

2005

Severe Ice Storm

$114K to the City of Gaffney for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

14 households applied for aid $19K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$119K to the City of Gaffney for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$6K to the City of Gaffney for repairs

Cherokee County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and ice 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. Gaffney covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Gaffney’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Gaffney. 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 Gaffney total about $4.7M 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.