Natural hazards · Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Mount Pleasant comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,061 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 Mount Pleasant?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Mount Pleasant to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes61%Earthquakes14%Inland flooding12%Coastal flooding9%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Mount Pleasant faces

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

Hurricanes

61% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Earthquakes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

12% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Coastal flooding

9% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong 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 Mount Pleasant flood?

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

1,061paid claims since 1979

$17.1Mpaid to owners

60homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Hugo: 656 claims, $12.7M
October severe storms: 60 claims, $776K
Hurricane Irma: 43 claims, $710K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (9) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 25% off flood insurance. Mount Pleasant is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 5) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Charleston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings floodproofed

2flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Mount Pleasant

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Mount PleasantDeclared for Charleston County only

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$91K to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

1,321 households applied for aid $67K aid approved $454K to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$429K to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$303K to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$300K to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

147 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $1.1M to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

508 households applied for aid $173K aid approved $554K to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

88 households applied for aid $94K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Gaston

$1.0M to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$1.1M to the Town of Mount Pleasant for repairs

Charleston County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Charlestonmostly hurricanesVery high

Mount Pleasantmostly hurricanesVery high

Sullivan's Islandmostly hurricanesVery high

Awendawmostly 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. Mount Pleasant covers 11 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Mount Pleasant’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Mount Pleasant. 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 Mount Pleasant total about $78.9M 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.