Natural hazards · Walterboro

Walterboro, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Walterboro comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 10 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Walterboro?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Walterboro to be higher than in 89% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes and earthquakes.

Hurricanes54%Earthquakes25%Inland flooding10%Everything else11%

By hazard

What Walterboro faces

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

Hurricanes

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 4 years in the area

Earthquakes

25% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Inland flooding

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 10% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

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 Walterboro flood?

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

10paid claims since 1979

$38Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

October severe storms: 1 claim, $10K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $2K

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

Insurance rates: Colleton County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

2buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Walterboro

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into WalterboroDeclared for Colleton County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

10 households applied for aid $80K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

2024

Tropical Storm Debby

$221K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

2020

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds

443 households applied for aid $703K aid approved $159K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$4K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

524 households applied for aid $255K aid approved $217K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

896 households applied for aid $417K aid approved $19K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

2014

Severe Winter Storm

$79K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$15K to the City of Walterboro for repairs

Colleton County has had 16 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe 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. Walterboro covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Walterboro’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Walterboro. 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 Walterboro total about $5.1M 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.