Many of the counties most at risk for climate disaster are worried the least about it.
While climate worry correlates somewhat with climate disaster risk, there are broad swaths of at-risk counties that are relatively unworried about climate change.
Most unworried, at-risk counties are in Southeast coastal communities or the Gulf Coast.
In September 2024, hurricanes Helene and Milton tore through much of the Southeast, causing hundreds of deaths and hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. While the storms brought catastrophe to some of the most conservative parts of the country, and attribution scientists have declared that the hurricanes were made worse by global warming, natural disasters historically do little to shift climate change belief and action.
Many of the counties most at risk for climate disaster are worried the least about it. In their biennial survey, the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication asked participants, “How worried are you about global warming?” with options ranging from “very worried” to “not at all worried.” Combining survey answers with FEMA climate disaster risk reveals dozens of high-risk counties that are relatively unworried about climate change.
To determine the high-risk counties that care about climate change the least, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on climate change belief from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and disaster risk from FEMA. Counties classified as “relatively high” or “very high” risk for natural disasters like flooding, earthquake, and wildfire by FEMA were ranked based on the percentage of surveyed residents who answered that they are “not very” or “not at all worried” about global warming in 2023. Supplemental data on median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and is for 2022.
50. Shelby County, TN
Residents who are not worried about global warming: 38.3%
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 34.0%
Median household income: $59,621
County seat: Memphis
49. Brevard County, FL
Residents who are not worried about global warming: 38.5%
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 57.6%
Median household income: $71,308
County seat: Titusville
48. Kern County, CA
Residents who are not worried about global warming: 38.5%
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 53.9%
Median household income: $63,883
County seat: Bakersfield
47. Beaufort County, SC
Residents who are not worried about global warming: 38.5%
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 54.4%
Median household income: $81,260
County seat: Beaufort
46. Seminole County, FL
Residents who are not worried about global warming: 38.5%
Residents who are not worried about global warming: 50.9%
FEMA disaster risk level: Relatively High
Adults who voted Republican in 2020: 81.1%
Median household income: $71,910
County seat: Orange
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