US Cities Most at Risk for Natural Catastrophes

Natural disasters are not a new phenomenon. These natural processes, from cyclones, earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes to landslides, volcanic eruptions, and wildfires, have occurred for millennia, the only difference now is our infrastructure and population growth are significantly higher. This contributes to the increase in destruction and devastation and makes certain areas, like these U.S. cities most at risk for natural catastrophes, riskier to live in.

In recent years, the United States has seen a higher volume of natural disasters that have led to devastating costs in damages and loss of lives. While no city or area is perfect, and every region has certain risks, some have more than others.FEMA's National Index Risk, a site that shows which communities are most at risk for increased natural disasters, allows the public to see how weather can, and does, affect certain areas. (These are wildly destructive storms that flattened entire cities.)

To determine U.S. cities most at risk for natural catastrophes, 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 weather records we hope will never be broken.)

50. Sebastian, FL

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

49. Vero Beach South, FL

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

48. Temescal Valley, CA

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

47. Wright, FL

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

46. Highland, CA

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

45. Central, LA

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

44. Charleston, SC

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

43. Colton, CA

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

42. Gilroy, CA

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

41. Texas City, TX

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

40. Port St. Lucie, FL

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

39. Prairieville, LA

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

38. San Jacinto, CA

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

37. Slidell, LA

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

36. Pleasanton, CA

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

35. Horizon West, FL

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

34. Jacksonville, NC

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

33. Atlantic City, NJ

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

32. Rockledge, FL

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

31. West Melbourne, FL

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

30. Lake Jackson, TX

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

29. Melbourne, FL

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

28. Yucaipa, CA

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

27. Santa Paula, CA

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

26. Daphne, AL

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

25. Houma, LA

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

24. Hayward, CA

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

23. North Charleston, SC

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

22. Crestview, FL

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

21. Dublin, CA

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

20. Wilmington, NC

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

19. Panama City, FL

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

18. Mount Pleasant, SC

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

17. Hinesville, GA

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

16. Hollister, CA

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

15. Banning, CA

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

14. Key West, FL

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

13. Newark, CA

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

12. Brawley, CA

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

11. Summerville, SC

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

10. Fort Pierce, FL

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

9. Hilton Head Island, SC

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

8. Eureka, CA

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

7. Beaumont, CA

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

6. New Bern, NC

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

5. El Centro, CA

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

4. Bluffton, SC

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

3. Alvin, TX

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

2. Galveston, TX

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

1. Parkland, FL

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