In this article, we will be navigating through the natural disasters in the US while covering the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the country. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 Best Places with the Least Natural Disasters in the US.
Natural Disasters Across the US
Natural disasters pose a threat to human safety, property, critical infrastructure, and homeland security. The United States has been subject to a variety of natural disasters such as winter storms, floods, tornados, hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes. While some of these disasters occur seasonally, others tend to come without any prior warning. Amidst rising global emissions, there is an increasing risk of wildfires in the west of the US as a result of forests and farmland drying out. Simultaneously, inconsistent rainfall patterns are resulting in flooding in the eastern part of the US. The coastal areas are especially vulnerable but are still home to many real estate properties that house the US population. Countries with the highest flood risk have also been previously covered. Prominent disasters in 2023 include Hurricane Hilary in California, deadly fires in Hawaii, and severe storms in Florida.
On September 13, Reuters reported that the 23 disasters that have hit the US in 2023 have cost $57.9 billion in damages. 253 fatalities have occurred during these disasters. This could lead to 2023 being one of the most expensive years since 1980. In this regard, The White House will be instructing lawmakers to increase disaster relief funding from $12 billion to $16 billion.
Support for the Locals Amidst Disasters
Companies addressing natural disasters by engaging in disaster preparedness and recovery efforts across the US include The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD), Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW), and Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT).
The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) is an American multinational home improvement retail corporation that helps victims of natural disasters with natural disaster preparedness, short-term response , and long-term recovery. On September 28, the company reported that The Home Depot Foundation committed $1 million to support recovery in southwest Florida after Hurricane Ian hit the region. The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) has been engaged in repairing more than 200 homes and completing over 400 recovery projects. Team Depot and local nonprofits have been partnering with other organizations to support local communities to recover from natural disasters.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is another popular retail company that specializes in home improvement. On August 15, the company reported that it would be donating $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts across Maui after the island was hit by deadly wildfires. The donation was directed to the provision of food, emergency shelter, and relief supplies to those who suffered from the disaster. Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) also deployed a 20-person emergency response team to its store in Kahului to help with recovery efforts. The firm’s associates offered help to the local police, fire department, and community members with donations of essential supplies to assist residents.
Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is a retail corporation that operates a chain of discount department stores and hypermarkets across the United States. The company is actively involved in response to local natural disasters. In August, Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) supported the local Hawaii community by announcing a donation of $1 million in addition to providing supplies to the victims. During Spring, the firm donated $500,000 to local nonprofit organizations that were helping those hit by severe storms across the country. Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) also set up temporary resource centers at two stores in Fort Myers to support the local team members and their families with immediate needs after Hurricane Ian caused mass devastation in September 2022.
Now that we have taken a look at the natural disaster situation across the US, let’s move to the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the US.
Our Methodology:
To create a list of the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the US, we considered state-level data for a holistic view. This data was sourced from The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which reports all federally declared natural disasters in regions across the United States. In order to have better coverage, we selected the total number of natural disasters in every state that have been declared federally up till 2023.
Finally, we ranked the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the US in descending order of their total number of federally declared natural disasters, as of 2023.
20 Best Places with the Least Natural Disasters in the US
20. Maine
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 68
With a total of 68 federally declared natural disasters, Maine ranks as one of the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the country. Hurricane Lee which hit the state in September was the most recent natural disaster in this regard.
19. Illinois
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 67
Many of the natural disasters in Illinois are related to temperature such as extreme cold or heat waves. As of 2023, the state has seen 67 natural disasters in total. Severe storms and flooding were experienced by Illinois in September.
18. Hawaii
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 67
Hawaii is another place in the US with the least natural disasters in the United States. As of 2023, the state recorded only 67 natural disasters. Hawaii wildfires were witnessed as the last natural disaster in August.
17. Pennsylvania
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 63
Pennsylvania ranks as another place in the US that is prone to natural disasters. This is evident from the fact that the state has witnessed 63 disasters, as of 2023. Hurricane Ida was the most recent natural disaster in Pennsylvania.
16. Ohio
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 59
Ohio remains protected from hurricanes and tsunamis while the probability of tornadoes is also less in the state. As of 2023, Ohio has seen 59 federally declared natural disasters which makes it one of the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the US.
15. Vermont
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 58
With a total of 58 disasters declared in Vermont, the state ranks as one of the best US places with the least natural disasters. During August, the state saw severe storms and flooding. The state has recorded one of the fewest natural disasters since 2000.
14. New Jersey
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 58
59 natural disasters have been declared in New Jersey, as of 2023. Although the state experiences disasters, it is more prone to damage. Severe storms and flooding were last witnessed in New Jersey in July.
13. New Hampshire
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 58
New Hampshire ranks as one of the best places with the least disasters in the US. The state has experienced a total of 58 federally declared disasters, as of 2023. Hence, the state is relatively disaster-resilient.
12. Massachusetts
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 57
With 57 federally declared natural disasters, Massachusetts ranks as one of the best places with the least natural disasters in the US. Hurricane Lee hit the state in September and was recorded as the most recent natural disaster in Massachusetts.
11. Wisconsin
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 54
With 54 federally declared natural disasters, Wisconsin ranks as one of the 20 best places with the least natural disasters in the US. The state has been disaster-free since 2021 thereby making it to the list of the best places in the US which have faced fewer natural disasters.
10. Idaho
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 54
Tornadoes and hurricanes are not a common threat to Idaho. The state has witnessed 54 federally declared natural disasters, as of 2023. The Ross Fork Fire recorded in 2021 was the most recent disaster in Idaho. Hence, Idaho has seen one of the least natural disasters in the country.
9. Indiana
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 52
Indiana ranks as one of the 20 best places with least natural disasters in the US. Currently, there have been 52 federally declared disasters in the state. Severe storms were experienced by the state back in March.
8. Utah
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 51
Utah has witnessed 51 federally declared natural disasters, as of 2023. The Utah Parleys Canyon fire in 2021 was the latest natural disaster recorded in the state. Hence, Utah is one of the places in the US which have seen fewer natural disasters.
7. South Carolina
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 44
The most recent natural disaster recorded in South Carolina was Hurricane Idalia in August. As of 2023, the number of federally declared natural disasters in the state is 44 which is relatively low and makes South Carolina one of the best places with the least natural disasters in the US.
6. Michigan
Total Federally Declared Natural Disasters: 43
With a total of 43 federally declared natural disasters, Michigan ranks as one of the 20 best places with least natural disasters. The state gets natural protection from the Great Lakes. Hurricanes and earthquakes in Michigan are minor as compared to other places in the US.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Best Places with the Least Natural Disasters in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.