Over the years, the U.S. has seen its share of natural disasters, but a new report finds that Florida ranks among the top in states most impacted by storms and other phenomenon.
Recently the wildfires in Maui claimed the lives of more than 100 people with hundreds still missing and as if getting the first tropical storm in more than 80 years wasn't enough for the Los Angeles area a magnitude-5.1 earthquake shocked residents when it shook parts of Ventura and Los Angeles County.
Just this year, more than 10 natural disasters have already caused over $1 billion in damage in the U.S.
Millions of Americans’ homes and workplaces have been either damaged or destroyed by severe weather, leaving people reeling from the devastation. They are then expected to regroup and rebuild all while dealing with mental and emotional scars.
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Some states, however, are much less prone to having to deal with tragic.
To put it all in perspective and shed light on the states across the country that are impacted most by natural disasters, WalletHub compared all 50 states across two key metrics: the number of climate disasters causing at least $1 billion in damage since 1980, and the loss amount per capita of those disasters.
Here are the top 10 states most impacted by natural disasters:
| Overall Rank* | State | Total Score | Number of Climate Disasters Causing $1 Billion+ in Damage (1980-2023) | Loss Amount from Climate Disasters Causing $1 Billion+ in Damage per Capita (1980-2023) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 92.08 | 10 | 1 |
| 2 | Louisiana | 89.17 | 12 | 1 |
| 3 | Texas | 87.88 | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | Florida | 82.78 | 20 | 6 |
| 5 | Iowa | 81.67 | 21 | 1 |
| 6 | Kansas | 74.25 | 13 | 10 |
| 7 | Nebraska | 72.95 | 25 | 7 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 72.74 | 5 | 11 |
| 9 | Alabama | 71.74 | 5 | 12 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 68.64 | 4 | 16 |
Each state’s weighted average was determined across all metrics and were then calculated into an overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order their sample.
- Number of Climate Disasters Causing $1 Billion+ in Damage (1980-2023): Full Weight (~50.00 Points)
- Loss Amount from Climate Disasters Causing $1 Billion+ in Damage per Capita (1980-2023): Full Weight (~50.00 Points)
Between hurricanes, heavy rains and floods, Florida is among the top states prone to natural disasters.
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Florida ranked fourth after Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
Earlier this year, Fort Lauderdale was hit with historic flooding, impacting countless people and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for Broward County.
And months after Hurricane Ian, areas like Fort Myers are still picking up the pieces as residents continue their recovery from the costliest storm in Florida history.
