LawnStarter.com
With a hectic hurricane season forecasted for this summer, LawnStarter ranked 2024’s Most Hurricane-Vulnerable Counties.
We considered hurricane risk assessments and anticipated financial loss from hurricanes according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We also included the past 10 years of historical storm data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and access to national disaster debris recovery facilities.
See the 20 most hurricane-vulnerable counties below, followed by key takeaways. (Don’t see your county below? Check out the full ranking.)
Most Hurricane-Vulnerable Counties | |||
Rank | County | Rank | County |
1 | Broward County, FL | 11 | Brevard County, FL |
2 | Palm Beach County, FL | 12 | Georgetown County, SC |
3 | Charleston County, SC | 13 | New Hanover County, NC |
4 | Miami-Dade County, FL | 14 | Orange County, FL |
5 | Horry County, SC | 15 | Harris County, TX |
6 | Beaufort County, SC | 16 | St. Lucie County, FL |
7 | Berkeley County, SC | 17 | Collier County, FL |
8 | Chatham County, GA | 18 | Florence County, SC |
9 | Onslow County, NC | 19 | Carteret County, NC |
10 | Dorchester County, SC | 20 | Polk County, FL |
Key Insights:
- Florida and South Carolina account for half of the 100 most hurricane-vulnerable counties.
- Harris County, Texas (No. 15), home to Houston, has the highest Hurricane Risk and Expected Annual Loss from Hurricanes — over $1.15 billion, according to FEMA. The Houston region has a high susceptibility to flood damage and saw record levels of rainfall during Hurricane Harvey.
- All counties in our ranking have some risk of hurricanes and their effects, like flooding. Of these counties, those with the lowest risk of being impacted include Kennebec County, Maine (No. 315), which scored near the bottom alongside Texas counties DeWitt (No. 316) and Bexar, home to San Antonio, in last place.
Read the full story here: https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/studies/most-hurricane-vulnerable-counties/
Information Source: LawnStarter.com