FEMA rates relative hurricane risk for Charleston County as very high and reports FEMA annualized frequency of 0.362 per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Charleston County reports FEMA annualized frequency of 0.362 per year for hurricane. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Charleston County.
Hurricane
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
99.6/100
Occurrence thresholds vary by hazard. The FEMA methodology defines the value for each hazard.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Charleston County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Charleston, FEMA rates hurricane risk for Charleston County as very high, with a relative score of 99.6/100. The next highest relative scores are earthquake at 98.9/100 and lightning at 98.2/100.
Using FEMA data for Charleston County, Charleston is tied #1 among 10 covered South Carolina entries for hurricane risk; 3 entries share that score. North Charleston is about 8.6 straight-line miles from the Charleston map point and uses the same FEMA geography.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Charleston? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Charleston. All FEMA figures on this page cover Charleston County.
The FEMA figures cover Charleston County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative hurricane risk for Charleston County as very high. Its FEMA annualized frequency is 0.362 per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 10 South Carolina cities covered by this directory, Charleston is Tied #1 for relative hurricane risk based on FEMA's score for Charleston County. 3 covered cities share this rank because they use the same FEMA geography. Homes within Charleston can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Charleston County, the highest relative ratings are Hurricane (Very High), Earthquake (Relatively High), and Lightning (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Charleston County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Charleston County an overall relative risk rating of relatively high. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Confirm the exact hazard using official local maps before making property or insurance decisions. Know how local officials issue warnings and evacuation instructions. Use Ready.gov Be Informed and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Hurricane rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston, SC | 9 mi | Very High | 99.6 |
| Mount Pleasant, SC | 9 mi | Very High | 99.6 |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 88 mi | Very High | 99.6 |
| Savannah, GA | 89 mi | Very High | 99.5 |
| Florence, SC | 95 mi | Relatively Moderate | 95.6 |
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View productHazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.