Americans Moving To Places With Dangerous Weather

By Douglas McIntyre  •  September 1, 2024
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Americans who have moved to Florida, Texas, California, and the Southwest may eventually regret it. However, that has not stopped them from relocating to these places now, according to a new study.  The period covered was July 2022 to July 2023.

The study is titled “Thousands More People Are Moving In Than Out of Fire- and Flood-Prone America, Fueled by Migration to Texas and Florida.” Last year there was a net inflow of population to areas that are at high risk of wildfires. The net figure was 63,000, much of it due to people who moved to Texas.

People Not Worried About Flood

The net inflow to areas at high risk for flooding was 16,000, mostly due to people who moved to Florida. 

On the other hand, according to the authors, “The opposite occurred in low-risk areas; America’s low-fire-risk counties saw a net outflow of 38,401 people in 2023, and low-flood-risk counties experienced a net outflow of 6,892.”

Climate Migration

Over time, the less dangerous areas may be the beneficiaries of climate migration. “Ballooning insurance costs and intensifying natural disasters are driving thousands of Americans out of risky areas, but those people are quickly being replaced by other people for whom climate change isn’t the top concern,” said Redfin Senior Economist Elijah de la Campa.

These insurance rates are up by double digits in some areas in just the last year. In some places insurance is not available at all.

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