Tega Cay, SC
Tega Cay wildfire risk explained
USFS scores Tega Cay at the 50th national percentile for wildfire risk to structures (modestly above the national average for wildfire risk), a figure built from 3,814 real buildings rather than raw vegetation cover. (Source: USFS's Wildfire Risk to Communities methodology.)
Fire likelihood alone (USFS's burn-probability figure) ranks Tega Cay at the 53rd national percentile — 3 points above its risk-to-structures score, a gap driven by how much is actually built there.
Where Tega Cay's buildings actually sit
USFS classifies 48.8% of Tega Cay's buildings as Direct exposure, higher than its 48.7% Indirect share and far above its 2.5% Minimal share — a profile where 1,861 structures sit close enough to vegetation that lot clearing matters most.
Tega Cay against the rest of the country
Tega Cay ranks lower within South Carolina (3rd percentile statewide) than its 50th national percentile suggests alone — a calmer spot in a state where wildfire risk generally runs high. Among the 31,521 US communities USFS scores, Tega Cay ranks 15,803 for wildfire risk (1 is highest) and 4,411 by building count (1 is largest). Within South Carolina alone, it ranks 462 of 474 places by risk. See the full county-by-county picture for South Carolina on its state page.
What this risk score means for insurance
Tega Cay's elevated rating (50th percentile nationally) sits outside the range where wildfire risk alone reshapes an insurance market — still, a homeowner here loses nothing by comparing rates.
Hardening a home in Tega Cay
Because Direct exposure dominates in Tega Cay (48.8%), the highest-leverage fix is defensible space, not roofing or vents alone — covered in the home-hardening guide.
Where Tega Cay's figures come from
Tega Cay's 50th-percentile score and its burn-probability figure both come from the same USFS workbook, documented in the methodology guide. The exposure-zones guide covers what Tega Cay's dominant direct exposure actually means, with real examples from across the dataset.