Natural hazards · Georgetown

Georgetown, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Georgetown comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 333 claims here since 1979. 10 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Georgetown?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Georgetown to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes68%Inland flooding14%Earthquakes9%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Georgetown faces

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

Hurricanes

68% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

14% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 82% of U.S. places

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

LandslidesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Georgetown flood?

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

333paid claims since 1979

$10.0Mpaid to owners

38homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Hugo: 86 claims, $1.9M
October severe storms: 54 claims, $2.5M
Hurricane Matthew: 41 claims, $1.4M

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (13) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Georgetown is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Georgetown County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11homes raised above flood level

5buildings retrofitted against wind

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Georgetown

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into GeorgetownDeclared for Georgetown County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

413 households applied for aid $373K aid approved $122K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$140K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

279 households applied for aid $171K aid approved $154K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$55K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1,033 households applied for aid $771K aid approved $476K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

2,708 households applied for aid $3.7M aid approved $184K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$135K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

262 households applied for aid $63K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Charley

$162K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$115K to the City of Georgetown for repairs

Georgetown County has had 19 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. Georgetown 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 Georgetown’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Georgetown. 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.