Natural hazards · Ridgeland

Ridgeland, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Ridgeland comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 7 claims here since 2016. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Ridgeland?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes70%Inland flooding9%Earthquakes8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Ridgeland faces

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

Hurricanes

70% 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

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 28% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Earthquakes

8% of expected damage

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

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce 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 Ridgeland flood?

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

7paid claims since 2016

$522Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

20162026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $134K
Hurricane Irma: 1 claim, $9K
Hurricane Michael: 1 claim, $8K

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. Ridgeland isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Jasper County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3buildings retrofitted against wind

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit Ridgeland

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into RidgelandDeclared for Jasper County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

1,300 households applied for aid $1.5M aid approved $6K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

2023

Hurricane Idalia

$8K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

2022

Hurricane Ian

$8K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$18K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$5K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$17K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

562 households applied for aid $251K aid approved $74K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$4K to the Town of Ridgeland for repairs

Jasper County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter 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. Ridgeland covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Ridgeland’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Ridgeland. 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 Ridgeland 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.