Dillon County, South Carolina · Dillon
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Dillon County averages 3 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly January, and 16% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 10.8 times a year here, most often in September. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Dillon County spike on heavy-rain days, about 10.8 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 36 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
5% of occupied homes in Dillon County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the South Carolina county median of 5.1%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 116 times a year in Dillon County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
With 12,914 homes and around 27,862 residents, Dillon County is 405 square miles of northeast South Carolina. Dillon is the county seat; Latta, Hamer and Newtown are the next largest communities. Half the homes here were built before 1984, half after.
52/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Dillon County ranks 25 of 46 South Carolina counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Dillon County ranks highest compared with other South Carolina counties.
Dillon County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of South Carolina. From 2015–2024 it averaged 3 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 36 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 7th of 46 counties.
Most freezing nights fall from January, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Nov 21 and end around Mar 14.
Dillon gets fewer downpours than most South Carolina counties, but they still fill basements. Of roughly 50.7 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 10.8 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 37th of 46. January, September and December see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 7.44 inches, September 16, 2018. The worst three-day stretch dropped 16.15 inches, ending September 17, 2018, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 36 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
South Carolina's 46 counties range widely in housing age; Dillon ranks 14th, with 44% of its homes built before 1980.
Older and newer homes sit side by side here: 16% predate 1960 and 23% are from 2000 or later. Corroded pipe is the typical failure in the first group, burst supply hoses in the second.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 33% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 37% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Renters occupy 35% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
About 116 nights a year in Dillon County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (19th of 46 counties). September is the wettest month. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Dillon County's occupied homes: 4% utility gas, 90% electric, 4% propane and under 1% wood. Most homes here heat with gas or electricity, so cooking and electrical faults are the likelier fire sources. Even a contained kitchen fire can send soot through the ductwork to every room.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Dillon County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Dillon gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. Marlboro County has the oldest housing nearby, with 56% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Dillon | South Carolina median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 16% | 15% | 21 of 46 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 44% | 40% | 14 of 46 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 23% | 25% | 28 of 46 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 37% | 22% | 3 of 46 |
| Vacant homes | 16% | 16% | 20 of 46 |
| Wood or propane heat | 4.5% | 5.1% | 27 of 46 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 3/yr | 2/yr | 7 of 46 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 12/yr | 37 of 46 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 36/yr | 35/yr | 22 of 46 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 116/yr | 114/yr | 19 of 46 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest South Carolina county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Dillon County: freezing from January, heavy rain in January, September and December.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology