Cities Where Hurricanes Would Cause the Most Damage

Located on the Gulf Coast in southern Florida, Naples is at risk of considerable hurricane damage. Nearly 200,000 residential properties — with an estimated replacement value of $44.5 billion — in the Naples metro area are exposed to potential flooding damage from a storm surge. Nearly 385,000 local homes are at risk of wind damage in the event of a hurricane.

As recently as 2017, Naples was hit hard by Hurricane Irma. Though the metro area was spared the worst of the Category 3 storm, it caused widespread wind and flood damage and spilled tens of millions of gallons of sewage into homes, streets, and parks.

Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida, and across the broader Jacksonville metro area, over 220,000 single family homes are at risk of storm surge damage in the event of a hurricane. In the event that all at-risk homes get damaged by a storm surge, replacement costs could hit $52.7 billion.

Jacksonville was one of many Florida communities affected by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Though the metro area was spared the high winds and resulting damage other parts of the state faced, the St. Johns River, which runs through the city, flooded, causing widespread damage throughout Jacksonville.

Located near the Gulf Coast in east Texas, Houston is at risk of considerable hurricane damage. Over 260,000 residential properties — with an estimated replacement value of $56.9 billion — in the Houston metro area are exposed to potential flooding damage from a storm surge. Nearly 2 million local homes are at risk of wind damage in the event of a hurricane, damage that could result in nearly half a trillion dollars in replacement costs.

Houston is one of several metro areas devastated by a hurricane in recent years. Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 storm in August 2017 south of Houston. Though it eventually moved back out to sea, it brough torrential rainfall and devastating flooding to Houston and other parts of Harris County. Dumping over 27 trillion gallons of rain in Texas alone, Harvey led to over 100 deaths and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage, making it the second most costly hurricane to the United States in over 100 years.

With Tampa Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Bradenton, Florida, is at risk of considerable damage from a hurricane storm surge. Nearly 285,000 area homes with a replacement value of $57.5 billion are at at least moderate risk of storm surge damage. More than 373,000 area homes are at risk of hurricane wind damage.

As recently as 2016, Hurricane Hermine brought heavy rains to Bradenton, flooding many homes and leading to evacuations. Flooding in the area resulted in an estimated $350,000 in damage.

Fort Myers, located in southwestern Florida, not far from the Gulf of Mexico, is home to nearly 322,000 residential structures at risk of storm surge damage in the event of a hurricane. Additionally, 349,000 area homes are at risk of hurricane wind damage. Total potential reconstruction cost value of these homes is $67.0 billion for storm surge damage and $72.2 billion for wind damage.

Like many other parts of Florida, Fort Myers was affected by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Though by the time the storm reached Fort Myers it had weakened to a Category 2, it brought about widespread flooding leading to evacuations