How much flood risk does Clarendon County actually carry?
Clarendon County lands at the 50.2th percentile of FEMA's National Risk Index for flooding, "Relatively Low" territory — below the national norm for flood hazard — with the hazard driven by inland rivers and flash flooding rather than the coast — FEMA's model puts a flood event here at about once every 2 years. County-wide, not parcel-specific: FEMA's real flood-zone map is queried live, never shipped as a download.
Who actually carries the flood insurance FEMA requires
Out of 206 homes FEMA counts inside Clarendon County's mapped flood zone, 26 carry the flood policy federal law requires there — 12.6% compliance, short of full coverage. Across all residential structures in Clarendon County, not just the ones FEMA mandates, 0.5% carry an NFIP policy — most flood damage nationally happens outside the mapped high-risk zone, so that broader number matters too.
Clarendon County against the rest of the country
Clarendon County sits at rank 1628 of 3144 counties on FEMA's flood hazard scale (1 is worst) and rank 1413 of 3144 by population (1 is biggest). Clarendon County, South Carolina is home to about 31,030 people across 607.208 square miles of land.
What to do next if you own or are buying in Clarendon County
FEMA counts 16,059 residential structures in Clarendon County overall, 74 of them carrying some form of NFIP coverage — but a lender or insurer cares about one parcel, not that county total.
More on how this number was built
The methodology guide shows exactly which FEMA and Census tables feed Clarendon County's numbers. The guide to what the Special Flood Hazard Area actually means explains why the mandatory-insurance rule exists and who it applies to.