Top 7 US Cities and Counties with the Most Hurricane Risk, Check List!

There are many US cities and counties that faces severe hurricane threats from Houston to Charleston. Mofreover, the Americans can never forget how on 29 August 2005, hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans by flooding 80% of the city and revealed major flaws in disaster response. Other historic storms like Andrew (1992), Hugo (1989), Harvey and Irma (2017), Florence (2018), and Ian (2022) have left lasting impacts across the Gulf and Southeast. 

Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary: Advancements in Track Forecasting (Part 3 of 5)

Friday, August 29 is the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina making landfall along the U.S. Gulf coast and devastating the coasts of Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana. A lot has changed… pic.twitter.com/BjLtoO4BtM

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 27, 2025

While the National Hurricane Center has improved tracking since its founding in 1955, storms are only getting stronger. So, are we better prepared today? Let’s explore the 7 US cities and counties most at risk.

List of 7 Most Hurricane‑Prone Cities & Their Counties

With hurricanes growing stronger and more frequent, you must know where they strike most often. Here is the list of the U.S. cities and counties which face the greatest risk today: 

Source: FEMA

Check Out: List of Costliest Hurricanes in the US

Why Both the U.S. Cities and Counties are at the Hurricane Risk?

While people most often focuses on cities and always wonder why Miami is always at the risk of hurricanes, there are official disaster assessments, insurance data, and FEMA plans which are done at the county level. For example, Houston is located in the Harris County, which is listed among the top 5 highest-risk counties in the entire United States, according to FEMA. This means:

• Your flood zone, evacuation route, and disaster funding depend more on county policies.

• Counties include metropolitan areas, and gives a more accurate view of population impact and property risk.

• Most US hurricane risk maps rank counties and not just cities.

What are the Key Insights? 

From the blog, you can now clearly understand which counties and cities are prone to hurricanes frequently. Here are the quick insights for you: 

• Gulf Coast counties in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida remain at the greatest risk due to geography and climate.

• Urban sprawl increases surface water runoff and worsens flooding, especially in counties like Harris, Lee, and Miami-Dade.
  Hurricane insurance costs are rising fastest in these high-risk counties, with many homeowners seeing policy cancellations.

• As climate change continues to warm the Atlantic, storm intensity is increasing, meaning previously “safe” cities may no longer be exempt.

Check Out: America’s Hurricane History

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