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Natural hazards · Orangeburg

Orangeburg, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Orangeburg comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 28 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 Orangeburg?

69
High
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Orangeburg to be higher than in 69% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and earthquakes.

Hurricanes30%Earthquakes28%Inland flooding27%Everything else15%
By hazard

What Orangeburg faces

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

Hurricanes

30% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places
Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Earthquakes

28% of expected damage
Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

27% of expected damage
Below average · higher than 32% of U.S. places
Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Orangeburg flood?

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

28paid claims since 1979
$1.3Mpaid to owners
3homes flooded more than once
19792026

Biggest named events

  • October severe storms: 4 claims, $26K
  • Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $2K
  • Hurricane Milton: 1 claim, $16K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. Orangeburg isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Orangeburg County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

6buildings retrofitted against wind
Disasters that hit Orangeburg

10 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into OrangeburgDeclared for Orangeburg County only
2024

Severe Storms and Flooding

$428K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2024

Hurricane Helene

3,843 households applied for aid $4.9M aid approved $627K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$4K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

277 households applied for aid $435K aid approved $9K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2018

Hurricane Florence

$7K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2016

Hurricane Matthew

909 households applied for aid $416K aid approved $391K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

2,370 households applied for aid $811K aid approved $462K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2014

Severe Winter Storm

$347K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
2004

Severe Ice Storm

$141K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$8K to the City of Orangeburg for repairs
Orangeburg County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.
Around Orangeburg

Orangeburg and the towns around it

Edisto: High, mostly hurricanesWilkinson Heights: Moderate, mostly hurricanesBrookdale: Moderate, mostly earthquakesOrangeburg: High, mostly hurricanes OrangeburgEdistoWilkinson HeightsBrookdale
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Orangeburgmostly hurricanesHigh
Edistomostly hurricanesHigh
Wilkinson Heightsmostly hurricanesModerate
Brookdalemostly earthquakesModerate
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. Orangeburg covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Orangeburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Orangeburg. 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 Orangeburg total about $6.2M 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.

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