Natural hazards · Lexington

Lexington, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lexington comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 4 claims here since 1986. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lexington?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lexington to be higher than in 39% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes23%Hurricanes13%Earthquakes8%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Lexington faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage

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

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

23% of expected damage

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

Hurricanes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 83% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Lower here

HailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lexington flood?

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

4paid claims since 1986

$519Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19862026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 2 claims, $513K

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Lexington County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Lexington

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LexingtonDeclared for Lexington County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

4,433 households applied for aid $1.9M aid approved $440K to the Town of Lexington for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,034 households applied for aid $801K aid approved $2.1M to the Town of Lexington for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$11K to the Town of Lexington for repairs

2004

Severe Ice Storm

$40K to the Town of Lexington for repairs

Lexington County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Lexington

Lexington and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

West Columbiamostly inland floodingModerate

Lexingtonmostly inland floodingLow

Red Bankmostly inland floodingLow

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. Lexington covers 5 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lexington’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Lexington. 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 Lexington total about $7.6M 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.