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Hurricanes Are Responsible for a Drop in Land Value in This City

Hurricanes Are Responsible for a Drop in Land Value in This City

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50. Norwalk, CT

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49. South Portland, ME

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48. Norwich, CT

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47. Waterbury, CT

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46. Wilson, NC

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45. Pharr, TX

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44. Palm Coast, FL

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43. Salisbury, MD

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42. Ormond Beach, FL

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41. Victoria, TX

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40. Lafayette, LA

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39. Summerville, SC

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38. Lake Charles, LA

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37. Huntsville, TX

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36. Goose Creek, SC

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35. Enterprise, AL

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34. New Bern, NC

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33. Beaumont, TX

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32. New Iberia, LA

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31. Mount Pleasant, SC

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30. South Bradenton, FL

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29. Pooler, GA

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28. Pensacola, FL

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27. Brownsville, TX

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26. Golden Gate, FL

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25. Fort Pierce, FL

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24. Gulfport, MS

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23. Palm City, FL

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22. Merritt Island, FL

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21. Myrtle Beach, SC

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20. Wilmington, NC

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19. Mobile, AL

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18. Navarre, FL

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17. Lehigh Acres, FL

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16. North Port, FL

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15. Corpus Christi, TX

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14. Concord, NH

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13. Hinesville, GA

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12. Panama City, FL

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11. Hilton Head Island, SC

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10. Port Charlotte, FL

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9. Jacksonville, NC

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8. Daphne, AL

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7. Houma, LA

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6. Wright, FL

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5. Vero Beach South, FL

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4. Torrington, CT

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3. Statesboro, GA

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2. Key West, FL

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1. Kingsville, TX

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50. Norwalk, CT
49. South Portland, ME
48. Norwich, CT
47. Waterbury, CT
46. Wilson, NC
45. Pharr, TX
44. Palm Coast, FL
43. Salisbury, MD
42. Ormond Beach, FL
41. Victoria, TX
40. Lafayette, LA
39. Summerville, SC
38. Lake Charles, LA
37. Huntsville, TX
36. Goose Creek, SC
35. Enterprise, AL
34. New Bern, NC
33. Beaumont, TX
32. New Iberia, LA
31. Mount Pleasant, SC
30. South Bradenton, FL
29. Pooler, GA
28. Pensacola, FL
27. Brownsville, TX
26. Golden Gate, FL
25. Fort Pierce, FL
24. Gulfport, MS
23. Palm City, FL
22. Merritt Island, FL
21. Myrtle Beach, SC
20. Wilmington, NC
19. Mobile, AL
18. Navarre, FL
17. Lehigh Acres, FL
16. North Port, FL
15. Corpus Christi, TX
14. Concord, NH
13. Hinesville, GA
12. Panama City, FL
11. Hilton Head Island, SC
10. Port Charlotte, FL
9. Jacksonville, NC
8. Daphne, AL
7. Houma, LA
6. Wright, FL
5. Vero Beach South, FL
4. Torrington, CT
3. Statesboro, GA
2. Key West, FL
1. Kingsville, TX

Hurricanes are powerful, natural phenomena caused by the sun's heat and the Earth's rotation, which lead to warmer ocean waters. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, these powerful storms are a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originate over tropical or subtropical waters. Intense winds of more than 74 miles per hour convert a tropical storm into a hurricane. Devastating torrents of destruction are unleashed on anything in their path, which is why hurricanes are responsible for a drop in land value in certain cities.

The season is long – it begins on June 1 and ends on November 30 – and many cities are more susceptible to hurricanes than others, but some have felt that wrath more. Coastal cities along bodies of water are typically in the path of hurricanes. The Atlantic Basin, comprised of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, is where the majority of hurricanes that impact the United States are formed. But cities within the path of trade winds and jet streams are also more susceptible, as are ones with frequent tropical wave activity.

To determine the cities where hurricanes are responsible for a drop in land value, 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 total historic loss ratio due to hurricanes from 1996 to 2019. The total historic loss ratio is the combined sum of the percentage of agriculture value lost due to hurricanes from 1996 to 2019 and the percentage of building value lost due to hurricanes from 1996 to 2019.

Data was aggregated from the census tract level to the place level using boundary definitions for 2023 from the U.S. Census Bureau. Supplemental data on population is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Only cities with at least 25,000 residents were considered. (Check out these hurricanes that made it up to 500 miles inland.)

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