Hazard exposure has increased since 1945

Over half (57%) of the structures extant in 2015 were built in hazard hotspots for earthquake, wildfire, flood, hurricane, and tornados even though these hotspots cover only 31% of the contiguous U.S.

Exposure has grown in all hazard hotspots over the last 70 years

  • The number of structures in hurricane and earthquake hotspots increased faster than the national average growth, and the density of structures in these two hazard hotspots is currently larger than the national mean (3.1 and 1.7 times larger, respectively).

  • Trends in structure density in tornado hotspots roughly parallel national values.

  • Growth in flood and wildfire hotspots, while still positive, fall below the national trajectory.