Natural hazards · York

York, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in York comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1979. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is York?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in York to be higher than in 14% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding39%Tornadoes30%Earthquakes9%Ice storms5%Strong wind5%Everything else11%

By hazard

What York faces

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

Inland flooding

39% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

30% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 64% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Strong wind

5% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 21% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 York flood?

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

3paid claims since 1979

$51Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19792026

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: York County.

Disasters that hit York

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into YorkDeclared for York County only

2024

Hurricane Helene

1,126 households applied for aid $945K aid approved $450K to the City of York for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

3 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$79K to the City of York for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$18K to the City of York for repairs

York County has had 17 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. York covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to York’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of York. 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 York total about $1.6M 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.