States Where Tax Payers Will Pay The Most for Rising Sea Levels

The destabilizing effects of human-caused climate change are far-reaching and well documented. As global temperatures rise, droughts, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and severe in many parts of the world. Although these disasters are often seasonal and their impacts intermittent, at least one predictable consequence of a warming climate poses a near-constant threat: sea-level rise.

Bordering the Gulf and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the United States has over 95,000 miles of shoreline, and in many coastal areas, sea-levels are projected to rise by a foot or more in the coming decades. If coastal communities fail to act in the face of these projections, many may become susceptible to regular flooding, or may even become uninhabitable. To improve resilience, several U.S. cities, including Atlantic City, New Jersey, Charleston, South Carolina, Miami Beach, Florida, and San Francisco, are building seawalls—or protective retaining walls along the shore. 

While seawalls present a practical solution to a looming problem, they will come at a steep cost. According to estimates from the Center for Climate Integrity, seawall installation along the most vulnerable stretches of coastline in the Continental U.S. will likely cost more than $400 billion, and only a small handful of states will account for the bulk of that spending. 

Using data from the Center for Climate Integrity, Climate Crisis 247 identified the states that will have to spend the most to protect against sea-level rise. We ranked all states with available data on the estimated cost of seawalls necessary to protect against sea-level rise by 2040. Supplemental data on projected and historic sea level rise is from the National Sea Level Explorer. All other data is from the Center for Climate Integrity. 

10. Texas

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $19.3 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 2,738 miles
• County in Texas with the highest projected seawall costs: Galveston County ($3.9 billion)
• City in Texas with the highest projected seawall costs: Galveston ($1.1 billion)
• Projected sea-level rise in Texas, 2020-2050: 12 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in Texas, 1970-2020: 13 inches

9. South Carolina

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $20.1 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 3,202 miles
• County in South Carolina with the highest projected seawall costs: Charleston County ($6.3 billion)
• City in South Carolina with the highest projected seawall costs: Charleston ($1 billion)
• Projected sea-level rise in South Carolina, 2020-2050: 10 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in South Carolina, 1970-2020: 8 inches

8. California

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $22.0 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 1,785 miles
• County in California with the highest projected seawall costs: Solano County ($2.7 billion)
• City in California with the highest projected seawall costs: San Diego ($357.2 million)
• Projected sea-level rise in California, 2020-2050: 6 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in California, 1970-2020: 4 inches

7. Washington

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $23.9 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 1,651 miles
• County in Washington with the highest projected seawall costs: Grays Harbor County ($3.3 billion)
• City in Washington with the highest projected seawall costs: Seattle ($716.3 million)
• Projected sea-level rise in Washington, 2020-2050: 4 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in Washington, 1970-2020: 1 inches

6. New Jersey

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $25.0 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 2,696 miles
• County in New Jersey with the highest projected seawall costs: Cumberland County ($5.8 billion)
• City in New Jersey with the highest projected seawall costs: Atlantic City ($364.5 million)
• Projected sea-level rise in New Jersey, 2020-2050: 12 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in New Jersey, 1970-2020: 10 inches

5. Maryland

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $27.4 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 2,996 miles
• County in Maryland with the highest projected seawall costs: Dorchester County ($6.5 billion)
• City in Maryland with the highest projected seawall costs: Dames Quarter ($611.4 million)
• Projected sea-level rise in Maryland, 2020-2050: 11 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in Maryland, 1970-2020: 9 inches

4. Virginia

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $31.2 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 4,063 miles
• County in Virginia with the highest projected seawall costs: Accomack County ($4.9 billion)
• City in Virginia with the highest projected seawall costs: Virginia Beach ($1.7 billion)
• Projected sea-level rise in Virginia, 2020-2050: 12 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in Virginia, 1970-2020: 11 inches

3. North Carolina

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $34.8 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 5,250 miles
• County in North Carolina with the highest projected seawall costs: Dare County ($5.5 billion)
• City in North Carolina with the highest projected seawall costs: North Topsail Beach ($724.1 million)
• Projected sea-level rise in North Carolina, 2020-2050: 10 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in North Carolina, 1970-2020: 7 inches

2. Louisiana

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $38.4 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 6,764 miles
• Parish in Louisiana with the highest projected seawall costs: Cameron Parish ($5.5 billion)
• City in Louisiana with the highest projected seawall costs: New Orleans ($725.1 million)
• Projected sea-level rise in Louisiana, 2020-2050: 17 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in Louisiana, 1970-2020: 17 inches

1. Florida

• Estimated cost of protective seawalls by 2040: $75.9 billion
• Total length of seawalls needed by 2040: 9,243 miles
• County in Florida with the highest projected seawall costs: Monroe County ($11.1 billion)
• City in Florida with the highest projected seawall costs: Jacksonville ($3.5 billion)
• Projected sea-level rise in Florida, 2020-2050: 9 inches
• Historic sea-level rise in Florida, 1970-2020: 7 inches