Flood-Prone Parts of America Are Losing Residents at Nearly Twice Last Year’s Rate

Skip to content

Buying Options

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Buying Resources

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Rent

Close Rent

Open Rent

Rental Resources

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Redfin Rental Tools

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Sell

Close Sell

Open Sell

My Home

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Redfin Selling Options

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Selling Resources

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Mortgage

Close Mortgage

Open Mortgage

Mortgage rates

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Calculators

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Real Estate Agents

Close Real Estate Agents

Open Real Estate Agents

","library":"fa-solid"}}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Feed

","library":""},"layout":"horizontal","toggle":"burger"}" data-widget_type="nav-menu.default">

Search

Flood-Prone Parts of America Are Losing Residents at Nearly Twice Last Year’s Rate

Published on June 24th, 2026 by Dana Anderson and Yingqi Xu

High-flood-risk U.S. counties lost over 63,000 more residents than they gained in 2025–nearly double the prior year’s outflow.

Flood-prone places are losing residents partly because of climate risk. Some residents are leaving in search of cheaper housing or different politics.

Counties at low risk of flooding gained nearly 70,000 residents last year, the biggest uptick since 2018.

Miami and Houston top the list of flood-prone places that lost the most residents in 2025.

Some flood-prone counties are still attracting residents, typically those that are relatively affordable.

Flood-prone America lost far more residents than it gained in 2025, continuing and intensifying a trend that started in 2024.

High-flood-risk U.S. counties lost 63,357 more residents than they gained in 2025. That’s nearly double the net outflow from the year before. In 2024–the first time in five years flood-prone counties posted a net outflow–34,099 more people moved out than in.

The opposite trend is happening in places at low risk of flooding. Low-flood-risk counties gained 69,857 more people than they lost last year–the biggest gain since 2018.

This is based on a Redfin analysis of domestic migration data from the U.S. Census Bureau (excludes immigration) and climate-risk scores from First Street. We define a high-risk county as one that ranks in the top 10% when it comes to the share of homes facing high flood risk—in other words, counties with 23.7%-99.1% of homes facing high risk. Migration data for 2025 covers July 1, 2024-July 1, 2025. A “net outflow” measures how many more people moved out of than into an area, while a “net inflow” measures how many more people moved in than out. This data is subject to revision.

The significant uptick in movement away from flood-prone places suggests that concerns about flooding and climate are beginning to reshape where Americans choose to settle. While high-flood-risk counties are losing residents, lower-risk counties are seeing strong population gains, indicating that more movers may be prioritizing climate resilience and relative safety in their relocation decisions.

Several forces are likely driving residents away from flood-prone parts of America:

Increasing climate risks. Repeated flooding and stronger storms have increased the physical and financial risks of living in vulnerable communities, particularly in coastal and low-lying regions.

Rising cost of homeownership in flood-prone places. Homeowners in high-risk counties are facing rising insurance premiums, higher repair costs and, in some cases, difficulty obtaining or renewing flood coverage altogether. Soaring HOA dues in places that are particularly prone to climate disasters are also a factor.

Those pressures have been compounded by the rising cost of homeownership more broadly. Buyers are weighing long-term climate risks when deciding where to move, and many appear to be choosing areas where the threat of flooding—and the costs associated with it—are lower.

Reduced community appeal of flood-prone areas. Frequent disasters can also disrupt local economies, damage infrastructure and reduce property values, making flood-prone communities less attractive places to live over time.

Destroyed or damaged homes. In some flood-prone counties, thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged by recent hurricanes, prompting people to move away. For example, 2024’s Hurricane Milton devastated properties across much of coastal Florida.

Factors other than climate, such as soaring home prices and politics. Soaring housing costs have driven some residents out of flood-prone places; in Naples, FL, for instance, home prices have...