How to Check Natural Disaster Risk Before You Move
A move is a decades-long bet on a place. Hurricanes, floods, wildfire and extreme heat affect not only safety but also home insurance, property values and, increasingly, whether you can get coverage at all.
Start with FEMA's National Risk Index
FEMA's National Risk Index scores every county for 18 natural hazards, combining how often they happen and how much damage they cause with how vulnerable and resilient the community is. Scores are national percentiles from 0 to 100.
Weighted by where people live, the lowest-risk states are Vermont, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia, and the highest are California, Arizona, Washington, DC, Hawaii, Nevada. See every state and county on our natural disaster risk pages, and each city's risk on its cost of living page.
Look at the specific hazards
An overall score hides what you'd actually face. A coastal county may be high for hurricanes and flooding; a mountain county for wildfire and winter storms; a plains county for tornadoes and hail. Think about which risks you can prepare for (a safe room, a generator) and which can make a home uninsurable or unsellable (repeated flooding, severe wildfire).
Check the flood map for the exact address
County scores are averages. For a specific home, look it up on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to see whether it's in a special flood hazard area. Lenders require flood insurance there, and standard homeowners policies don't cover flood damage. Ask the seller or landlord about past flooding and insurance claims.
Expect risk in your insurance bill
Insurers price risk. In 2024, homeowners with a mortgage paid a median $2,492 a year for insurance in Florida, versus $1,126 in Oregon (Census American Community Survey), and premiums in many high-risk areas have kept rising since. Before you commit, get real quotes for the address, including wind or hurricane deductibles, which are often a percentage of the home's value.
A quick checklist
- Compare the county's overall risk and top hazards.
- Check the address on FEMA's flood map.
- Get homeowners (and flood) insurance quotes before you make an offer.
- Ask about the home's roof age, elevation, wildfire clearance and past claims.
- Factor heat and cooling costs into your budget in hot climates.