The first potentially disastrous weather event of the season is powering across the Caribbean. Hurricane Beryl has strengthened into a Category 5, the earliest on record.
Over the last 20 years, the United States has seen a wide array of devastating natural disasters that have claimed numerous lives, wrecked homes, destroyed livelihoods, and altered the course of countless people’s lives. While natural disasters have existed since the beginning, FEMA’s National Index Risk gives the public a good understanding of the most disaster-prone cities in the U.S.
Being an adult means careful consideration, which is important to one’s life. Plenty of factors must be considered when choosing a place to live. Educational opportunities, the economy and cost of living, work opportunities, and more are essential aspects to consider. Another important factor is your city’s natural disaster vulnerability. While you cannot live your life based on what may happen, it is still important to measure the pros and cons of any city.
Facing a natural disaster can upend your life, and while communities have been able to bounce back numerous times after a disaster hits, being prepared is always a good idea. When considering the future for your family, career, children, and yourself, the National Risk Index can be a handy tool to help you determine the risk of living in a specific city. ( Here’s a look at some wildly destructive storms that flattened entire cities .)
This index accounts for the following natural disasters:
- Winter Weather
- Wildfire
- Volcanic activity
- Tsunami
- Tornado
- Strong Wind
- Riverine Flooding
- Lightning
- Landslide
- Ice Storm
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- Hail
- Earthquake
- Drought
- Cold Wave
- Coastal Flooding
- Avalanche
If you are a planner, curious, or considering a new move, read on to learn the 50 most disaster-prone cities.
To determine the most disaster-prone cities, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on natural hazard risk for U.S. census tracts from the March 2023 FEMA National Risk Index dataset. Cities were ranked based on the average National Risk Index score – a composite risk score of 18 natural hazards: avalanche, coastal flooding, cold wave, drought, earthquake, hail, heat wave, hurricane, ice storm, landslide, lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind, tornado, tsunami, volcanic activity, wildfire, and winter weather – for all census tracts within their borders. Data were aggregated from the census tract level to the city level using spatial boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau’s TIGER/Line program. Supplemental data on the total value of all owner-occupied homes and population are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Only places with at least 25,000 residents were considered. ( Also See 7 Weather Records We Hope Will Never Be Broken )
Source: Stephen Wood / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +5.6%
- Total population: 25,266
Source: CG-Photos / Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +24.7%
- Total population: 29,965
Source: HadelProductions / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $5.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +11.1%
- Total population: 28,227
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.5%
- Total population: 26,272
Source: BZK Photos / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.6 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.8%
- Total population: 56,789
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.7%
- Total population: 29,518
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $21.6 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +14.3%
- Total population: 149,960
Source: David Toussaint / Moment Open via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -0.4%
- Total population: 53,959
Source: Sundry Photography / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $10.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +8.4%
- Total population: 58,696
Source: Art Wager / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.3%
- Total population: 53,084
Source: Anthony M. Inswasty / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $19.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +17.8%
- Total population: 210,520
Source: Vibe Images / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.0%
- Total population: 34,215
Source: magaro / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +15.2%
- Total population: 54,077
Source: Brad Schinkel / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.4%
- Total population: 28,690
Source: (c) Salil Bhatt / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $28.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -0.8%
- Total population: 78,691
Source: ZargonDesign / E+ via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +131.0%
- Total population: 58,595
Source: Eifel Kreutz / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 95.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -2.4%
- Total population: 71,908
Source: AUDREY SCRIPP / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -1.5%
- Total population: 38,487
Source: Ken Badgley / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.6 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.9%
- Total population: 27,808
Source: Shellphoto / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +28.9%
- Total population: 26,762
Source: Chester Leeds / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.3%
- Total population: 27,954
Source: JimVallee / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +6.7%
- Total population: 84,982
Source: Solidago / Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $5.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.4%
- Total population: 54,428
Source: hlehnerer / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +1.5%
- Total population: 30,788
Source: George Dodd III / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.4/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.6 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.9%
- Total population: 27,861
Source: Ajmal M Shah / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -2.0%
- Total population: 33,094
Source: Sundry Photography / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $22.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.3%
- Total population: 160,602
Source: digidreamgrafix / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $6.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +7.0%
- Total population: 115,755
Source: WanderDrone / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +18.4%
- Total population: 27,427
Source: yhelfman / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $19.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +24.6%
- Total population: 71,068
Source: Michael Warren / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 96.8/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $9.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +1.5%
- Total population: 116,933
Source: RobHainer / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -6.6%
- Total population: 34,254
Source: krblokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $19.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +12.7%
- Total population: 90,945
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.0 million
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.6%
- Total population: 34,732
Source: Derek_Neumann / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.5/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +13.2%
- Total population: 42,093
Source: MattGush / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.3 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -2.9%
- Total population: 29,929
Source: Peter Unger / Stone via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.8 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.0%
- Total population: 26,078
Source: travelview / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $11.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +4.2%
- Total population: 47,470
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.7/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +2.1%
- Total population: 26,509
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 97.9/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.2 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +3.5%
- Total population: 50,839
Source: GabrielPevide / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.0/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.9 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +6.6%
- Total population: 47,153
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $10.4 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -4.9%
- Total population: 37,708
Source: Janine Moore-Williams / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.1/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: -1.9%
- Total population: 26,519
Source: Aaron Echols / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $5.5 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +22.7%
- Total population: 53,544
Source: ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.2/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $2.0 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +5.8%
- Total population: 31,373
Aerial View of Downtown El Centro, California in the Imperial Valley (
Shutterstock.com ) by
Jacob Boomsma - FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +0.6%
- Total population: 44,184
Source: Donna Brooks / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $4.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +71.1%
- Total population: 29,375
Source: SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 98.6/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $1.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +5.9%
- Total population: 27,325
Source: kat-co / iStock via Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 99.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $3.7 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +7.2%
- Total population: 53,265
Source: TahirAbbas / Getty Images
- FEMA National Risk Index score: 99.3/100
- Total value of owner-occupied homes: $8.1 billion
- Population change, 2017 to 2022: +20.5%
- Total population: 34,832
The post The Most Disaster-Prone Cities in the US appeared first on 24/7 Tempo .
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