Special Report
States That Have Endured the Most Costly Natural Disasters Since 1980
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From withering droughts in the West to high winds and pounding hail storms in central states, to tornado outbreaks and other severe weather in the southeast, 2022 has been another year of costly weather disasters. So far this year, 38 states have been struck with regional weather events that inflicted at least a billion dollars’ worth of damage to public infrastructure and private property.
The consensus among climate scientists is that destructive weather events are likely to increase in frequency and strength as the planet grows warmer. They further agree that human activity, including industrial, agricultural, commercial, and personal activities, have generated greenhouse gas emissions that are the main driver of climate change. (Earth’s CO2 level rose every year since climate change became a national issue.)
Since U.S. weather officials began tracking weather events that have inflicted at least a billion dollars’ worth of damage in 1980, adjusted for inflation, they have tallied $2.28 trillion in total damages from such storms nationwide, including U.S. territories. But not all states carry the same burden, and the disasters are different from area to area.
To rank the 50 states based on the total damage from weather disasters, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the (inflation-adjusted) billion-dollar disaster events that affected the United States between 1980 and 2022 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Disaster categories include drought, flooding, freeze, severe storm, tropical cyclone, wildfire, and winter storm. We included each state’s total population from the U.S. Census Bureau.
By far the costliest natural disasters nationwide have been tropical cyclones. Out of the $2.14 trillion in damages from weather disasters, almost half has been caused by major hurricanes, mostly from damages inflicted to coastal regions of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, which are home to 17% of the country’s population. (Some of these were also among the deadliest billion dollar natural disasters in U.S. history.)
But the carnage of tropical cyclones does not end at these coastlines. Since 1980, hurricanes or their weakened, but still-potent, weather systems have inflicted at least a billion dollars’ worth of damage in states as far north as Vermont and New Hampshire. Eighteen U.S. states, most of them eastern states, have been struck by these major tropical cyclones, with damages running into the tens of billions in New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Hurricanes have also been major threats to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, most recently from Hurricane Maria in September 2017. Out of these 18 states, only Hawaii has been relatively unscathed. The only weather event that cost the state more than a billion dollars was Hurricane Iniki in 1992.
After tropical cyclones, the second-most costly type of weather events are severe storms, which have inflicted $178.3 billion in damages in 13 states, mostly in the middle of the country, including Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma. Wildfires in five states, led by California, have cost $103 billion, while droughts have cost central, north-central, and northwestern states nearly $85 billion, largely from agricultural losses. Winter storms and flooding have inflicted $33.5 billion in damages in six states over this period of time, led by $22.6 billion from floods in Iowa.
Here are the states that have endured the most costly natural disasters since 1980.
50. Maine
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $1.68 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Winter storm ($1.34 billion)
> Total population: 1,340,825
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central and Eastern Winter Storm, January 2018
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49. New Hampshire
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $1.94 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Winter storm ($1.35 billion)
> Total population: 1,355,244
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central and Eastern Winter Storm, January 2018
48. Alaska
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $2.10 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Wildfire ($2.10 billion)
> Total population: 736,990
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: California and Alaska Wildfires, Summer-Fall 2019
47. Vermont
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $2.25 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($1.09 billion)
> Total population: 624,340
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central and Northeastern Severe Weather, May 2018
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46. Rhode Island
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $2.50 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($1.26 billion)
> Total population: 1,057,798
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Hurricane Ida, August 2021
45. Nevada
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $2.66 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Wildfire ($1.15 billion)
> Total population: 3,030,281
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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44. Delaware
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $2.82 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($960 million)
> Total population: 967,679
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Hurricane Ida, August 2021
43. Utah
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $3.30 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Flooding ($1.49 billion)
> Total population: 3,151,239
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
42. Wyoming
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $4.58 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($2.57 billion)
> Total population: 581,348
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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41. New Mexico
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $5.28 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($2.66 billion)
> Total population: 2,097,021
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
40. Hawaii
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $6.42 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($6.42 billion)
> Total population: 1,420,074
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Hurricane Iniki, September 1992
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39. Idaho
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $6.71 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Wildfire ($3.09 billion)
> Total population: 1,754,367
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
38. West Virginia
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $7.19 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Flooding ($2.64 billion)
> Total population: 1,807,426
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Hurricane Ida, August 2021
37. Washington
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $7.53 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($3.43 billion)
> Total population: 7,512,465
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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36. Arizona
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $8.01 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($5.09 billion)
> Total population: 7,174,064
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
35. Massachusetts
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $8.42 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Winter storm ($4.07 billion)
> Total population: 6,873,003
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Hurricane Ida, August 2021
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34. Connecticut
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $9.29 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($5.57 billion)
> Total population: 3,570,549
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Hurricane Ida, August 2021
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33. Michigan
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $10.16 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($4.64 billion)
> Total population: 9,973,907
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: North Central Hail Storms, May 2022
32. Oregon
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $11.04 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Wildfire ($5.30 billion)
> Total population: 4,176,346
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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31. Maryland
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $14.66 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($5.97 billion)
> Total population: 6,037,624
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
30. Montana
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $16.18 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($11.60 billion)
> Total population: 1,061,705
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western Wildfires, 2021
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29. Wisconsin
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $17.71 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($6.41 billion)
> Total population: 5,806,975
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Derecho, June 2022
28. South Dakota
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $18.25 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($11.79 billion)
> Total population: 879,336
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: North Central Severe Weather, May 2022
27. Arkansas
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $19.38 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($7.02 billion)
> Total population: 3,011,873
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southern Severe Weather, April 2022
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26. Kentucky
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $21.84 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($11.64 billion)
> Total population: 4,461,952
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Derecho, June 2022
25. Virginia
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $21.91 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($9.83 billion)
> Total population: 8,509,358
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
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24. Ohio
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $24.72 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($12.92 billion)
> Total population: 11,675,275
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Derecho, June 2022
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23. Pennsylvania
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $24.88 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($10.95 billion)
> Total population: 12,794,885
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: North Central Hail Storms, May 2022
22. Indiana
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $25.94 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($10.92 billion)
> Total population: 6,696,893
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Derecho, June 2022
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21. Nebraska
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $29.01 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($12.90 billion)
> Total population: 1,923,826
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
20. North Dakota
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $31.01 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($21.84 billion)
> Total population: 760,394
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western Drought and Heat Wave, 2021
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19. Minnesota
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $31.29 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($17.12 billion)
> Total population: 5,600,166
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: North Central Hail Storms, May 2022
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18. Kansas
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $32.18 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Drought ($17.76 billion)
> Total population: 2,912,619
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
17. South Carolina
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $33.48 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($21.26 billion)
> Total population: 5,091,517
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
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16. Tennessee
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $33.91 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($18.62 billion)
> Total population: 6,772,268
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southern Severe Weather, April 2022
15. Oklahoma
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $35.57 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($21.15 billion)
> Total population: 3,949,342
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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14. Colorado
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $37.38 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($23.08 billion)
> Total population: 5,684,926
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
13. Georgia
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $38.70 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($17.32 billion)
> Total population: 10,516,579
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
12. Alabama
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $46.83 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($25.07 billion)
> Total population: 4,893,186
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southern Tornado Outbreak, March 2022
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11. Illinois
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $46.91 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($18.55 billion)
> Total population: 12,716,164
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Derecho, June 2022
10. Missouri
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $47.45 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Severe storm ($21.10 billion)
> Total population: 6,124,160
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Derecho, June 2022
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9. Iowa
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $55.07 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Flooding ($22.64 billion)
> Total population: 3,150,011
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Central Severe Weather, June 2022
8. New Jersey
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $59.07 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($49.35 billion)
> Total population: 8,885,418
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: North Central Hail Storms, May 2022
7. New York
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $75.44 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($63.52 billion)
> Total population: 19,514,849
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
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6. Mississippi
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $78.46 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($57.37 billion)
> Total population: 2,981,835
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southern Severe Weather, April 2022
5. North Carolina
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $81.55 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($62.98 billion)
> Total population: 10,386,227
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
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4. California
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $135.03 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Wildfire ($91.32 billion)
> Total population: 39,346,023
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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3. Florida
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $257.21 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($233.30 billion)
> Total population: 21,216,924
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southeastern Tornado Outbreak, April 2022
2. Louisiana
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $287.44 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($249.81 billion)
> Total population: 4,664,616
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Southern Severe Weather, April 2022
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1. Texas
> Combined cost of billion-dollar weather disasters ’80-’22: $361.08 billion
> Most costly type of disaster: Tropical cyclone ($224.11 billion)
> Total population: 28,635,442
> Most recent billion-dollar disaster: Western/Southern Plains Drought, 2022
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