Top 10 U.S. cities at risk in terms of present day property assets and population
Top 10 U.S. cities at risk in terms of present day property assets and population
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Created 04/24/08
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1
Miami
1
2M
$416 billion
Miami sits on the Atlantic coastline with little protection from cyclical tropical storms and hurricanes, which have been growing in frequency and intensity as a result of changes in Atlantic Ocean temperatures in the last decade. Not only is Miami a low-lying city with significant coast exposure, but it is also experiencing considerable population growth due to immigration and migration from within the U.S., as well as a rise in costly waterfront real estate development from residential homes to resorts. All these factors combined make Miami the city most vulnerable to the threat of rising sea levels.
2
New York/Newark, N.J.
2
1.5M
$320 billion
New York City doesn’t experience hurricanes or flood frequently the way Miami does, which perhaps explains why the city has so few flood defenses. But like Miami, the New York metro area is inherently swampy and has large populations situated on the waterfront (the island of Manhattan has an area of less than 23 square miles), which makes it susceptible to rising sea levels. As one of the country’s most densely populated areas with expensive, high occupancy real estate near the water, it’s no surprise that New York ranked so high in terms of both population and assets at risk.
3
New Orleans
3
1.1M
$234 billion
We don’t need to look any farther than the media coverage of Hurricane Katrina to understand why New Orleans is a high-risk city when it comes to rising sea levels. The fact that it’s below sea-level and situated on the Mississippi River, one of the world’s largest deltas, with an exhausted levee system makes it especially prone to flooding. Furthermore, the city is susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms like Miami due to its location on the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans continues to struggle in the aftermath of Katrina and may never recover its population and economic losses.
4
Tampa, Fla.
9
415K
$86 billion
Tampa, unlike Miami, is located on the west coast of Florida, exposing it to the Gulf of Mexico rather than the Atlantic. This means milder weather in terms of hurricanes and tropical storms, although the city experiences the most thunderstorms per year in the U.S. While the population of Tampa has grown moderately over the last two decades, its population and real estate aren’t as dense or extensive as Miami’s. Still, Tampa has an entire segment of the city jutting out into Tampa Bay, as well as a busy port and a large contingent of corporate headquarters, which make it a high-risk city.
5
Virginia Beach, Va.
10
407K
$85 billion
Virginia Beach may seem like one of the surprises on the list, but its location on Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean make it a city to watch during hurricane season. In the event of flooding, the city could experience significant damage as Virginia’s largest city. When it comes to asset exposure, Virginia Beach ranks relatively high. This is most likely because of its variety of manufacturing industries, military bases, and 38 miles of shoreline filled with hotels and resorts that are a popular vacation destination on the East Coast – all of which would be threatened by rising sea levels.
6
Boston
12
370K
$77 billion
As evidenced by the previous cities on this list, it’s clear that port cities near the Atlantic Ocean are particularly threatened by rising sea levels, and Boston is no exception. The city is situated on Boston Harbor, an inlet of Massachusetts Bay, which connects to the Atlantic. Its slight removal from the Atlantic may account for why it’s not as high-risk as New York or Virginia Beach. But the downtown area, which sits on the water, is home to the financial district and historical sites that bring in tourism central to Boston’s economy. The flooding of this area would be devastating to the city.
7
Philadelphia
21
158K
$33 billion
Philadelphia ranks considerably lower on the list compared to its Northeast counterparts, New York and Boston. Perhaps this is because its location at the point where the Delaware and Schuykill Rivers merge is almost 100 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean, providing it with a degree of protection. However, the city is still a major port, situated at the midpoint between New York and Washington, D.C. This prime location makes it a relatively at-risk city. With its population growing rapidly as New Yorkers relocate looking for cheaper property values, its industry and economy only stand to grow as well.
8
San Francisco/Oakland, Calif.
28
118K
$25 billion
San Francisco is often associated with earthquakes when it comes to natural disasters. But is also built on the tip of a peninsula situated in San Francisco Bay, part of a 450 square mile natural harbor, which puts it at risk in the event of rising sea levels. The city sits on the hills and is relatively moderate in terms of storms, explaining why it didn’t rank higher on the list. However, stemming from its early history as a major port city, San Francisco’s booming population and significant development of business, tourism and residential areas near the waterfront could be cause for concern.
9
Baltimore
29
117K
$24 billion
Once again we see the vulnerability of East Coast cities near the Atlantic, although like Boston, Baltimore is somewhat protected because of its location at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean. Also, compared to the other cities on the list, Baltimore hasn’t experienced major population growth, with the population increase of the metropolitan area being balanced out by the decline in Baltimore itself. Still, with rising sea levels, Baltimore could experience loss both in terms of population and assets as the largest city in Maryland and one of the busiest port cities in the U.S.
10
Los Angeles/Long Beach, Calif.
32
77K
$16 billion
Despite its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the Los Angeles metropolitan area sits comfortably above sea level with many neighborhoods situated in hilly areas (i.e. Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills), which may explain why it ranks lower on the list even though it has major assets and huge population. Also, as suggested by its name, the Pacific Ocean is notably calmer than its East Coast counterpart, as evidenced by the Atlantic’s tumultuous hurricane season. But rising sea levels and increasingly intense storms could still threaten the considerable development in the lower-lying coastal and beach communities.
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