Natural hazards · Laurel Bay

Laurel Bay, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Laurel Bay comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1 claim here since 2016. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Laurel Bay?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes76%Inland flooding12%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Laurel Bay faces

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

Hurricanes

76% 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

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Laurel Bay flood?

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

1paid claims since 2016

$7Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $7K

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Beaufort County.

Disasters that hit Laurel Bay

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Laurel Bay itself: aid to households, or repair grants to Laurel Bay.

Brought FEMA money into Laurel BayDeclared for Beaufort County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

1 household applied for aid

2016

Hurricane Matthew

1 household applied for aid

Beaufort County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Laurel Bay

Laurel Bay and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Laurel Baymostly hurricanesVery high

Beaufortmostly hurricanesVery high

Burtonmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Laurel Bay covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Laurel Bay’s own flood-insurance community (here, the census tracts inside it); household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to Laurel Bay. 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 Laurel Bay total about $3.7M 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.