Williamsburg County, South Carolina · Kingstree
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Pipes freeze in Williamsburg County on about 2 nights a year, mostly midwinter. Older homes, 14% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 11.2 times a year here, most often in August. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Williamsburg County spike on heavy-rain days, about 11.2 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 30 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
9% of occupied homes in Williamsburg County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the South Carolina county median of 5.1%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 117 times a year in Williamsburg County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
Williamsburg County covers 934 square miles of eastern South Carolina, with about 30,282 residents and 14,907 homes. Kingstree is the county seat; Hemingway, Lane and Greeleyville are the next largest communities. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1985.
40/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Williamsburg County ranks 36 of 46 South Carolina counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Williamsburg County ranks highest compared with other South Carolina counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Williamsburg County sits near the middle of the state. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 2 nights a year at or below 20°F (20th of 46) and 30 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
The freeze season here runs midwinter, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Nov 24 and end around Mar 11.
Rainfall is about average for South Carolina. The county gets about 52.5 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 11.2 days of an inch or more (29th of 46). Those downpours cluster in April, August and September, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 6.86 inches on October 8, 2016. The worst three-day stretch dropped 13.16 inches, ending October 5, 2015, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 30 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
42% of homes in Williamsburg County predate 1980, close to the South Carolina county median of 39.8%, which ranks 19th of South Carolina's 46 counties.
Older and newer homes sit side by side here: 14% predate 1960 and 24% 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 34% 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 40% 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.
With 18% of homes empty at survey time, landlords and seasonal owners should shut off the main or schedule checks in winter. An unheated vacant house is also where many policies limit freeze coverage.
Beyond water
Williamsburg County averages 117 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in August. Keep indoor humidity under 60%, as the EPA advises, and dry any leak within 24 to 48 hours; in a humid month a wet basement left alone won't dry by itself.
Mold remediation: what to expectBy main heating fuel, Williamsburg County homes break down as 3% utility gas, 85% electric, 9% propane and under 1% wood. Propane heat is above the South Carolina norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Williamsburg County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Williamsburg gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. Marion County has the oldest housing nearby, with 48% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Williamsburg | South Carolina median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 14% | 15% | 30 of 46 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 42% | 40% | 19 of 46 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 24% | 25% | 27 of 46 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 40% | 22% | 1 of 46 |
| Vacant homes | 18% | 16% | 15 of 46 |
| Wood or propane heat | 9.1% | 5.1% | 15 of 46 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 2/yr | 20 of 46 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 12/yr | 29 of 46 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 30/yr | 35/yr | 32 of 46 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 117/yr | 114/yr | 16 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 Williamsburg County: freezing from midwinter, heavy rain in April, August and September.
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