Hurricane Helene is shaping up to be one of the deadliest storms in history, with at least 215 fatalities and thousands still missing. The storm has displaced people from Florida to Virginia, and more than a week after the hurricane hit, around 730,000 homes remain without power.
Sadly, Helene is far from the only natural disaster the U.S. has faced this year. Extreme weather has become an unfortunate but increasingly common part of life.
This year alone, major storms have done more than $25 billion in damage nationwide. Thanks to climate change, the number of floods worldwide has increased by 20% since 2000. It’s also created more intense hurricanes and increased the amount of burned acreage in the U.S. due to wildfires by 320% since 1996.
The near-constant threat of hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes has put homeowners on edge and ratcheted up home insurance premiums. In some places, such as hurricane- and flood-prone Florida, homeowners are choosing to forgo insurance altogether rather than deal with rising premiums.
Each region has particular risks. Homes across the West are vulnerable to wildfires, while homes in the Southeast see the most floods.
Properties across the South are most affected by the ravages of extreme heat—which can warp wood and melt roofs—though a 2024 Realtor.com® climate risk study found that extreme heat is spreading everywhere. The cities where extreme heat is causing the most damage include Austin, TX, Baton Rouge, LA, and Coral Gables, FL.
Homeowners in the path of Helene will likely spend the next few weeks and months attempting to recover from the storm. Some of them will no doubt find their home insurance policy doesn’t adequately cover the repairs and rebuilding necessary. Many will likely go into debt to restore normalcy.
For those who were lucky enough to not live in this hurricane’s path, concerns may remain: Given Helene devastated areas never even considered at risk for hurricane damage, one has to wonder: Is anywhere safe?
How to find out your ‘environmental risk score’
“Hurricanes present substantial challenges for homeowners, including property damage, increased financial costs, community recovery issues, and emotional stress. These factors can greatly hinder homeowners’ ability to recover and rebuild after a hurricane,” says Realtor.com economist Jiayi Xu.
“Opting for a property in states with a lower hurricane risk can help alleviate these concerns,” Xu continues. “Realtor.com offers property-specific environmental risk scores that assess hazards like hurricanes and floods. Prospective homeowners can use these scores to evaluate climate-related risks in different areas, helping them identify ‘safer’ locations before making their final decision.”
To make sure prospective homeowners are informed about the potential risks to their properties, Realtor.com now offers an environmental risk score for properties, assessing the risk of flood, extreme heat, wildfires, and other types of extreme weather in an area.
The good news: Just as some places are at a greater threat of natural disasters, others have markedly less risk exposure.
To assess risk, Realtor.com ranked states based on the share of homes that face the lowest hurricane, flood, or fire damage probability versus the share of homes located in high-risk areas. We used First Street Foundation’s wind factor scores to determine hurricane risk and corresponding flood risk. We then looked at the value of the homes in those low-risk areas to determine what states had the lowest risk.
Read on to find out which states have the lowest extreme-weather risk levels.
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 90.6%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $440.4 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 90.2%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $159 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 89.5%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $1,062.6 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 88.8%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $209.3 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 88.5%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $588.5 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 88.4%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $244.9 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 88.2%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $1,299.5 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 87.6%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $890.9 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 87.4%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $68 billion
Share of homes at the lowest risk: 87%
Total property values at the lowest risk: $483.2 billion
