Key Takeaways
- Redfin found that several counties at the highest risk of flooding had more people moving out than in last year.
- Counties around Miami, Houston, New Orleans, and Brooklyn were among those seeing the biggest outflows as rising insurance costs and flood risks drive residents away.
- Living in a flood-prone area can dramatically affect your finances, from higher insurance premiums to potential property value declines and repair costs after extreme weather events.
Americans are voting with their moving vans on flood risk. For the first time since 2019, more people fled high-flood counties than moved to them last year, with nearly 30,000 choosing safer ground over waterfront views, according to new data from Redfin.
Meanwhile, counties with a low-risk of flooding had the largest influx of domestic movement since 2019, with just under 36,000 more people moving to those areas than those moving out.
Winning and Losing Counties in America’s Flood Exodus
Redfin tracked the movement of residents into and out of the counties in the top 10% of flood risk, which are those where 23.7% to 99% of homes are at a high risk of flood damage. Some of the counties still had a net positive population growth because of international immigration, but Redfin noted that the trend may have slowed in the last year as the Trump administration pursued stricter border policies.
The counties with the 10 largest domestic exoduses were spread across Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Virginia, and Alaska. The single largest emigration came from Miami-Dade County, Florida, which was down more than 67,000 residents. Harris County, Texas, and Kings County, New York, which cover Houston and Brooklyn, respectively, had the next largest losses at about 30,000 each.
Why This Matters For Homeowners and Buyers
Whether you already own a home or are thinking about moving, living in a flood-prone area can mean soaring insurance premiums, slower resale demand, and potential losses in property value. If you’re open to taking that risk, understanding which areas people are leaving could help you find better prices—but also reveal why sellers are eager to move.
Hudson County, New Jersey, directly across the Hudson River from New York City, had the fourth-largest loss, at 12,735 people. The rest of the top 10 counties suffered net population outflows ranging from about 1,850 to 5,125: the counties around New Orleans; St. Petersburg, Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; as well as along the Texas-Mexico border.
Real estate agents in the identified areas told Redfin that climate risks are among several reasons that some residents have been leaving those counties in recent years, along with politics, high housing costs, and rising insurance premiums. A Miami-area agent told Redfin that in the last two years, his annual homeowners insurance and flood insurance have soared to $6,700 and $1,250, respectively, from $2,000 and $400. The agent said those rising costs have driven away people who moved to Miami during the pandemic.
Flood Zone Survival Guide
Here’s the expensive truth about flood zones: Your regular homeowners insurance won’t save you. Standard policies cover burst pipes and roof leaks—but the moment water comes from outside your home, you’re on your own without separate flood insurance. Just using the word “flood” in a home insurance claim can make it more likely to be rejected.
Previous surveys have shown that eight in 10 Americans consider climate risks when they are home shopping. However, far fewer said they were making a point to look for a home in an area with fewer climate risks, suggesting that some people consider these risks, but they’re not a deal-breaker for their moves.
