York County, South Carolina · York
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Pipes freeze in York County on about 4 nights a year, mostly December to January. Older homes, 9% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Basements flood here mostly in May. York County averages 10.1 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Sewage backups in York County spike on heavy-rain days, about 10.1 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
York County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 4.46 inches, and about 56 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
3% of occupied homes in York County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the South Carolina county median of 5.1%.
With 89 muggy nights a year, mold in York County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 293,673 people live in York County, 681 square miles in northern South Carolina, in roughly 120,653 homes. The county seat is York, and Rock Hill, Fort Mill and Lake Wylie round out the largest towns. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 2000.
35/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate York County ranks 39 of 46 South Carolina counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where York County ranks highest compared with other South Carolina counties.
York is on the colder side of South Carolina for pipes. It averaged 57 freezing nights a year over 2015–2024, 4 of them at 20°F or colder, cold enough for pipes in outside walls and crawl spaces to freeze. Among 46 South Carolina counties that's 2nd.
The freeze season here runs December to January, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Nov 9 and the last spring freeze around Mar 31.
York gets fewer downpours than most South Carolina counties, but they still fill basements. Of roughly 45.2 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 10.1 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 44th of 46. April, May and December see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 4.46 inches, September 27, 2024. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 5.23 inches (through September 28, 2024).
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 56 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; York ranks 41st, with 23% of its homes built before 1980.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 50% of homes are that new. Modern PEX and copper rarely fail on their own; the leaks come from connections, appliances and storms.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 26% 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.
9% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, below the South Carolina county median of 22%. Their water lines run under the floor behind the skirting, so a torn skirt or failed heat tape freezes them faster than lines in a site-built house.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 89 times a year here, below the South Carolina county median of 113.5. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in York County's occupied homes: 46% utility gas, 50% electric, 3% 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 York County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Cherokee gets more pipe-freeze nights than York. All of its neighbors see more heavy-rain days. Union County has the oldest housing nearby, with 64% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | York | South Carolina median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 8.7% | 15% | 38 of 46 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 23% | 40% | 41 of 46 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 50% | 25% | 4 of 46 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 8.7% | 22% | 43 of 46 |
| Vacant homes | 5.7% | 16% | 46 of 46 |
| Wood or propane heat | 3.1% | 5.1% | 37 of 46 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 4/yr | 2/yr | 2 of 46 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 10/yr | 12/yr | 44 of 46 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 56/yr | 35/yr | 2 of 46 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 89/yr | 114/yr | 44 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 York County: freezing from December to January, heavy rain in April, May 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