Special Report
States With the Most Weather Disasters Over the Last Decade, All 50 States Ranked
Published:
In the last 10 years, 9 out of every 10 counties in the United States have experienced a federally declared climate disaster, according to a report released late last year. Disasters including hurricanes, wildfires, blizzards, floodings, and other types of extreme weather events struck almost every part of the country.
This means most U.S. residents are potentially in the path of natural disasters, which are becoming more frequent and powerful amid global warming.
To find the states with the most weather disasters, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Atlas of Disaster report published by Rebuild by Design, a nonprofit that helps communities struck by natural disasters. We ranked states by the number of weather disasters from 2011 to 2021 as listed in the report. All data, including federal aid, came from the report. A disaster in a state can span several counties, and therefore the number of counties with five or more disasters can be larger than the number of disasters declared by the state.
Federal aid to help states prepare for and clean up after weather-related events comes largely from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to the recent report, these agencies have dispersed $91 billion in disaster aid to states from 2011 to 2021, led by $26.3 billion to New York and $14.8 billion to Texas.
Superstorm Sandy in 2012 was the costliest natural disaster in New York and New Jersey in this period of time, while Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and a devastating winter storm in 2021 were the costliest weather disasters in the Lone Star state in that 10-year span. (Here are the most destructive storms in U.S. history.)
Seven other states have received more than a billion dollars in weather-related disaster aid from FEMA and HUD since 2011, including hurricane-prone Florida, Louisiana, and both Carolinas.
Louisiana, the country’s 25th most populous state, ranks at the top in weather disaster aid as measured on a per capita basis. In other words, Louisianans have received the highest amount of disaster aid when adjusting for its population size: $1,736 per resident. The only other state to have per capita FEMA and HUD aid for natural disasters above $1,000 per resident is New York, the country’s fourth most-populated state.
A string of massive seasonal wildfires from 2011 to 2021 helped put California as the sixth largest recipient of federal weather disaster aid. California is also the state with the highest number of climate disaster declarations. Five other states have issued 20 or more disaster declarations from 2011 to 2021: Tennessee, Iowa, Mississippi, and Oklahoma, in part due to powerful weather events like tornadoes and thunderstorm supercells.
California, the country’s largest state by population and gross domestic product, also has 1,966 polluted Superfund sites, the highest number in the nation. Other high-population states like New Jersey, Florida, and New York also have among the highest number of these polluted sites. (Here are the 13 most destructive wildfires in U.S. history.)
Here are the states with the most weather disasters.
50. Nevada
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 3
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Douglas, Storey, Washoe, Carson City
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: N/A
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $34 million — 5th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $11 — 3rd lowest
[in-text-ad]
49. Indiana
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 4
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Clark, Vanderburgh, Jefferson, Warrick
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 224 — 5th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $46.5 million — 7th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $57 — 19th lowest
48. Rhode Island
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 4
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Every
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 12 — 16th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $56.3 million — 8th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $53 — 17th lowest
47. Wyoming
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 4
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Albany, Fremont, Johnson, Platte, Teton, Washakie
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: N/A
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $18.4 million — 3rd lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $32 — 11th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
46. Arizona
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 5
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Apache, Coconino, La Paz, Maricopa, and Navajo
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 71 — 19th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $12.6 million — the lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $2 — the lowest
45. Delaware
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 5
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: N/A
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 56 — 22nd most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $13.6 million — 2nd lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $14 — 4th lowest
[in-text-ad]
44. Illinois
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 5
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Cook
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 183 — 7th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $311 million — 23rd lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $24 — 8th lowest
24/7 Wall St.
43. Maine
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 6
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: York
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 1 — 17th fewest
> Superfund sites: N/A
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $24 million — 4th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $18 — 5th lowest
42. Michigan
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 6
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Midland
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 141 — 9th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $235 million — 16th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $23 — 7th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
41. Ohio
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 6
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Vinton, Washington
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 61 — 20th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $225 million — 15th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $19 — 6th lowest
40. Colorado
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 7
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: El Paso
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 38 — 5th most
> Superfund sites: 96 — 14th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $799 million — 14th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $141 — 23rd highest
[in-text-ad]
39. Utah
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 7
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Davis, Salt Lake
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 46 — 25th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $36.1 million — 6th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $11 — 3rd lowest
24/7 Wall St.
38. South Carolina
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 8
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Berkeley, Colleton, Georgetown
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 20 — 9th most
> Superfund sites: 53 — 23rd most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $1.5 billion — 8th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $289 — 11th highest
37. Idaho
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 9
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Bonner
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 1 — 9th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $56.5 million — 9th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $32 — 11th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
36. Massachusetts
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 9
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Norfolk
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 9 — 23rd most
> Superfund sites: 73 — 18th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $501 million — 22nd highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $73 — 23rd lowest
35. Pennsylvania
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 9
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Northampton, Sullivan
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 6 — 23rd fewest
> Superfund sites: 224 — 5th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $630 million — 19th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $49 — 16th lowest
[in-text-ad]
34. Connecticut
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 10
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: New Haven
> County(s) with five or more disasters: All
> Superfund sites: 44 — 25th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $532 million — 21st highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $149 — 22nd highest
33. Hawaii
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 10
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Maui
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 30 — 23rd fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $325 million — 24th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $229 — 15th highest
32. Maryland
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 10
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Baltimore, Howard
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 5 — 20th fewest
> Superfund sites: 86 — 16th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $237 million — 17th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $39 — 13th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
31. New Mexico
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 10
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Lincoln, Sandoval
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 2 — 18th fewest
> Superfund sites: 122 — 11th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $203 million — 14th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $97 — 25th highest
30. Wisconsin
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 10
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Vernon
> County(s) with five or more disasters: N/A
> Superfund sites: 24 — 19th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $154 million — 12th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $27 — 9th lowest
[in-text-ad]
29. Florida
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 11
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Bay, Franklin
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 10 — 22nd most
> Superfund sites: 921 — 3rd most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $8.3 billion — 3rd highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $390 — 9th highest
24/7 Wall St.
28. Georgia
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 11
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Pickens
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 8 — 25th most
> Superfund sites: 103 — 12th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $675 million — 17th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $64 — 22nd lowest
27. Minnesota
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 11
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Sibley
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 6 — 23rd fewest
> Superfund sites: 138 — 10th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $276 million — 21st lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $49 — 16th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
26. Virginia
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 11
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: King and Queen
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 7 — 25th fewest
> Superfund sites: 102 — 13th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $417 million — 25th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $49 — 16th lowest
25. Montana
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 12
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Musselshell, Valley
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 3 — 19th fewest
> Superfund sites: 1 — 9th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $67 million — 10th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $63 — 21st lowest
[in-text-ad]
24. Oregon
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 12
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Linn, Lincoln, Lane, Douglas
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 6 — 23rd fewest
> Superfund sites: 6 — 14th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $879 million — 11th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $210 — 18th highest
24/7 Wall St.
23. Kansas
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 13
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Rice
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 19 — 10th most
> Superfund sites: 6 — 14th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $175 million — 13th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $60 — 20th lowest
22. New Jersey
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 13
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Morris
> County(s) with five or more disasters: All
> Superfund sites: 946 — 2nd most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $7.2 billion — 5th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $815 — 3rd highest
[in-text-ad-2]
21. North Dakota
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 13
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Walsh
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 14 — 19th most
> Superfund sites: N/A
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $561 million — 20th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $738 — 4th highest
20. South Dakota
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 13
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Butte, Jackson, Union
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 15 — 17th most
> Superfund sites: 53 — 23rd most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $237 million — 18th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $269 — 13th highest
[in-text-ad]
19. Missouri
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 14
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Pemiscot
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 57 — the most
> Superfund sites: 21 — 17th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $992 million — 10th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $162 — 19th highest
18. Nebraska
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 14
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Thurston
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 9 — 23rd most
> Superfund sites: 25 — 20th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $749 million — 15th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $390 — 9th highest
17. Alaska
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 15
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Kenai Peninsula Borough
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 17 — 14th most
> Superfund sites: 5 — 11th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $294 million — 22nd lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $401 — 8th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
16. North Carolina
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 15
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Ashe, Beaufort, Brunswick, Craven, Hyde, Onslow, Pender, Pitt, Sampson
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 25 — 7th most
> Superfund sites: 74 — 17th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $2.5 billion — 7th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $243 — 14th highest
15. Arkansas
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 16
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Madison, Searcy
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 18 — 13th most
> Superfund sites: 6 — 14th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $244 million — 19th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $81 — 24th lowest
[in-text-ad]
14. Kentucky
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 16
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Lawrence, Magoffin
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 19 — 10th most
> Superfund sites: N/A
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $470 million — 24th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $105 — 24th highest
13. New Hampshire
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 16
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Grafton
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 7 — 25th fewest
> Superfund sites: 3 — 10th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $74 million — 11th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $55 — 18th lowest
12. New York
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 16
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Herkimer, Suffolk
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 16 — 16th most
> Superfund sites: 868 — 4th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $26.3 billion — the highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $1348 — 2nd highest
[in-text-ad-2]
11. Washington
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 16
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Lewis
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 12 — 20th most
> Superfund sites: 145 — 8th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $267 million — 20th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $36 — 12th lowest
10. Alabama
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 17
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Perry
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 17 — 14th most
> Superfund sites: 26 — 22nd fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $1.3 billion — 9th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $275 — 12th highest
[in-text-ad]
9. Texas
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 17
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Walker
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 49 — 3rd most
> Superfund sites: 26 — 22nd fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $14.8 billion — 2nd highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $518 — 6th highest
8. Vermont
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 17
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Washington
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 11 — 21st most
> Superfund sites: 1 — 9th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $370 million — 25th lowest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $593 — 5th highest
7. West Virginia
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 17
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Lincoln
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 22 — 8th most
> Superfund sites: N/A
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $870 million — 12th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $481 — 7th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Louisiana
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 18
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Lafourche, West Feliciana, Assumption
> County(s) with five or more disasters: All
> Superfund sites: 61 — 20th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $8.1 billion — 4th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $1736 — the highest
5. Tennessee
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 20
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Houston
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 35 — 6th most
> Superfund sites: 89 — 15th most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $657 million — 18th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $97 — 25th highest
[in-text-ad]
4. Iowa
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 21
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Winneshiek
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 19 — 10th most
> Superfund sites: 23 — 18th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $717 million — 16th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $228 — 16th highest
3. Mississippi
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 22
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Clay, Holmes
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 54 — 2nd most
> Superfund sites: 44 — 25th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $476 million — 23rd highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $159 — 20th highest
2. Oklahoma
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 22
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Craig, Dewey, Roger Mills
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 41 — 4th most
> Superfund sites: 7 — 15th fewest
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $849 million — 13th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $215 — 17th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
1. California
> Climate disaster declarations (2011-2021): 25
> County(s) with the highest disaster occurrences: Napa
> County(s) with five or more disasters: 15 — 17th most
> Superfund sites: 1,966 — the most
> FEMA and HUD total cost (2011-2021): $6.2 billion — 6th highest
> FEMA and HUD cost per capita (2011-2021): $157 — 21st highest
Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)
Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Get started right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
