Counties with the most emergency shelters in South Carolina

Written by:
January 20, 2023
Ffuhr // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the most emergency shelters in South Carolina

As climate change drives weather to greater extremes, and devastating hurricanes, wildfires, droughts, and blizzards preoccupy an increasing number of Americans, it is hard to avoid comparing the reality of everyday news coverage to the computer-generated images seen in disaster movies.

Over the last 50 years, natural disasters have become five times more common due to climate change, according to the World Meteorological Organization. They've also become more economically debilitating—the five most expensive climate disasters in American history have all taken place over the last two decades.

The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters means that the need for emergency evacuation and shelter plans has never been greater. According to the Federal Emergency Management Association, understanding your climate risk, or proximity to probable natural disaster, is an important first step for making a plan. Tools like the Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation allow you to assess your risk by location.

Knowing where nearby emergency shelters are located is another way to prepare for the worst. In the event of flooding, hurricane-level winds, or other disasters, emergency shelters offer a place to sleep, and also often provide food, water, and first aid services. Stacker examined the Department of Homeland Security's National Shelter System Facilities database to identify the counties with the most emergency shelters in South Carolina. Counties are ranked by emergency shelters per 100K people, with total capacity per 100K people serving as a tiebreaker.

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#46. Richland County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 9.4 (39 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 3,008,462 people (12,476,664 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 5
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#45. Beaufort County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 10.8 (20 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 3,572,081 people (6,644,320 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 6
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 2
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Anderson County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 13.4 (27 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,431,520 people (8,961,552 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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KudzuVine // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Pickens County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 13.9 (18 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,445,685 people (5,762,364 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#42. Charleston County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 14.1 (57 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,773,490 people (19,330,058 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 23
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Jasper County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 14.1 (4 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,388,792 people (1,244,793 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Marlboro County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 14.9 (4 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,013,737 people (1,349,297 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Itsbrandoyo // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Berkeley County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 15.6 (35 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,991,856 people (11,221,992 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 16
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Ralph Hightower // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Lexington County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 15.8 (46 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,846,672 people (14,138,858 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 6
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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NatalieMaynor // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Newberry County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 15.9 (6 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 4,685,691 people (1,773,159 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Connor401 // Wikimedia Commons

#36. York County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 18.1 (50 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 5,491,110 people (15,186,707 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 9
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Lazyksaw // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Dorchester County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 18.7 (30 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,093,712 people (9,760,908 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 7
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 3
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Robert Thomas Mckenzie Jr // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Florence County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 20.4 (28 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,775,615 people (9,301,293 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#33. Greenville County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 20.4 (106 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,176,413 people (32,066,579 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 31
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 1
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#32. Georgetown County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 20.6 (13 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 7,110,527 people (4,479,063 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 2
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Calatayudboy // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Lancaster County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 21.1 (20 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 6,919,988 people (6,549,976 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Edgefield County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 23.1 (6 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 7,812,565 people (2,026,423 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Sumter County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 25.6 (27 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 8,126,917 people (8,576,904 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Jud McCranie // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Darlington County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 28.4 (18 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 9,475,595 people (6,010,654 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#27. Abbeville County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 28.7 (7 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 9,728,937 people (2,371,331 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Kershaw County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 29.2 (19 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 9,310,640 people (6,050,892 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 4
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#25. Marion County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 30.4 (9 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 10,510,793 people (3,109,618 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#24. Spartanburg County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 30.7 (99 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 9,889,987 people (31,931,207 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 3
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Farrargirl // Wikimedia Commons

#23. McCormick County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 31.3 (3 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 10,526,701 people (1,008,879 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Orangeburg County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 31.8 (27 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 9,993,225 people (8,485,147 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 4
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Chesterfield County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 34.4 (15 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 11,655,116 people (5,088,041 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Morder // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Cherokee County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 37.4 (21 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 11,651,735 people (6,548,741 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Greenwood County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 37.5 (26 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 11,850,992 people (8,217,241 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Bamberg County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 44.4 (6 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 14,931,201 people (2,019,445 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Oconee County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 47.5 (37 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 15,188,359 people (11,836,592 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 3
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Ammodramus // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Lee County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 47.8 (8 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 16,049,743 people (2,685,122 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Festiva76 // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Aiken County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 48.2 (81 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 15,209,261 people (25,558,403 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Calhoun County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 49.3 (7 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 15,389,724 people (2,185,033 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Colleton County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 51.9 (20 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 17,589,278 people (6,775,390 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Laurens County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 52.1 (35 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 15,658,745 people (10,514,534 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Williamsburg County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 54.3 (17 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 17,195,911 people (5,378,709 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#10. Chester County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 55.8 (18 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 16,718,374 people (5,395,521 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 3
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Barnwell County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 57.7 (12 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 19,390,077 people (4,033,330 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Saluda County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 57.9 (11 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 18,323,811 people (3,482,990 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Pollinator // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Horry County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 58.3 (201 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 17,879,389 people (61,659,755 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 6
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 1
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Bill Fitzpatrick // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Dillon County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 59.6 (17 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 20,129,821 people (5,742,434 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 2
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 2
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Clarendon County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 63.3 (20 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 20,477,864 people (6,473,667 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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#4. Union County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 76.9 (21 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 24,258,405 people (6,624,000 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 2
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Fairfield County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 80.2 (17 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 24,762,230 people (5,246,126 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Allendale County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 84.3 (7 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 29,200,518 people (2,424,811 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 1
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0
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Ffuhr // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Hampton County

- Emergency shelters per 100K people: 93.6 (18 shelters in database)
- Emergency shelter capacity per 100K: 28,925,100 people (5,561,429 total capacity)
- Shelters with generators: 0
- Shelters in 100-year floodplain: 0

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