🌀 Hazard category

Hurricanes risk by state

Hurricanes bring destructive winds, storm surge and torrential rain to coastal and inland areas.

By HomeRiskMap Editors, Editorial team · Reviewed June 12, 2026 · How we source this

Hurricanes bring destructive winds, storm surge and torrential rain to coastal and inland areas.

How to prepare your home

  • Know your evacuation zone and route before hurricane season starts.
  • Install storm shutters or keep plywood ready to protect windows.
  • Reinforce garage doors and secure outdoor furniture before storms.
  • Prepare a 7-day emergency kit with water, food, medications and documents.
  • Review your insurance: wind and flood damage are often covered separately.

Official sources

All states ranked by hurricanes risk

Highest exposure first. Click a state for the full hurricanes briefing and source links.

Florida If you own a home in Florida, hurricanes are the risk that shapes everything else — wind, storm surge, and… Very High Louisiana Louisiana is rated at the highest level (5 of 5) for hurricane risk, with the entire Gulf coastline exposed… Very High North Carolina North Carolina faces some of the highest hurricane risk in the United States, with threats ranging from storm… Very High Alabama Alabama has a high hurricane risk, especially along its Gulf Coast. Hurricanes and tropical storms can bring… High Georgia Hurricane risk in Georgia is a 4 out of 5 for homes — not because every storm hits you, but because surge,… High Mississippi Mississippi faces a high (level 4 of 5) hurricane risk because of its location on the north-central Gulf of… High South Carolina South Carolina is rated Level 4 out of 5 for hurricane risk, with the entire state vulnerable to wind, storm… High Texas Texas faces a high risk of hurricanes, especially along its Gulf Coast from Brownsville to the Louisiana… High Connecticut Hurricanes and tropical storms do reach Connecticut, and our statewide risk rating is 3 out of 5, with the… Moderate Delaware If you're buying or insuring a home in Delaware, hurricane risk is real but manageable. The coast and… Moderate Hawaii If you're buying a home in Hawaii, hurricane risk is not zero—it's a 3 out of 5 statewide. The bigger… Moderate Maryland Maryland is rated 3 out of 5 for hurricane risk. The state rarely takes a direct hit from a major hurricane,… Moderate Massachusetts Massachusetts has a moderate hurricane risk (level 3 of 5). While direct hits are less common than in… Moderate New Jersey New Jersey faces a moderate risk from hurricanes and tropical storms, with the greatest threats being storm… Moderate New York New York experiences hurricane and tropical storm impacts primarily along its coastal areas, including New… Moderate Rhode Island Rhode Island sits directly in the path of hurricanes and tropical storms that track up the Atlantic coast,… Moderate Virginia Virginia faces hurricane and tropical storm risks, especially along its Atlantic coast, Chesapeake Bay, and… Moderate Arkansas Arkansas rarely takes a direct hurricane hit, but the remnants still push damaging wind and rain into places… Low District of Columbia Hurricane risk in the District of Columbia is lower than the Gulf or Carolina coasts, but it isn't zero —… Low Maine Maine has a relatively low hurricane risk (level 2 of 5), but tropical storms and post-tropical cyclones can… Low New Hampshire New Hampshire has a relatively low hurricane risk compared to southern coastal states, but tropical storms… Low Pennsylvania Pennsylvania has a moderate hurricane risk, rated 2 out of 5. While the state has no ocean coastline,… Low Alaska Alaska is a level 1 of 5 for hurricane risk, so you probably won't see a named hurricane at your closing. But… Very Low Arizona Arizona sits far from any hurricane landfall, so your home’s hurricane risk is about as low as it gets in… Very Low California In California, hurricanes are rare, but tropical storm rain and flash flooding still show up in places like… Very Low Colorado Hurricanes don't make landfall in Colorado, but the leftover moisture from Gulf storms can still soak the… Very Low Idaho In Idaho, hurricanes are a paperwork problem, not a wind problem — the state sits far from any Atlantic or… Very Low Illinois Hurricanes in Illinois are rare — the state sits at level 1 of 5, and what reaches you is almost always the… Very Low Indiana If you live in Indiana, your hurricane risk is low—most storms lose their punch before they reach us. But… Very Low Iowa Iowa almost never gets a direct hurricane, but remnants can still dump rain, spin up tornadoes, and knock out… Very Low Kansas In Kansas, a direct hurricane is not your problem — the leftovers from a Gulf storm are. If you own a house… Very Low Kentucky If you're buying in Kentucky, hurricanes probably aren't the first thing on your mind, and that's fair. The… Very Low Michigan Michigan is rated level 1 out of 5 for hurricane risk. While direct hurricane landfalls are impossible,… Very Low Minnesota No hurricane can make landfall in landlocked Minnesota, and HomeRiskMap rates the state 1 out of 5 for… Very Low Missouri Missouri has a very low hurricane risk (level 1 of 5) because it is landlocked and far from the coast.… Very Low Montana Montana is far from hurricane-prone coastlines and has a very low risk of direct hurricane impacts. However,… Very Low Nebraska Nebraska is landlocked and more than 700 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, so hurricanes cannot make landfall… Very Low Nevada Nevada has a very low hurricane risk because it is an inland state, but remnants of eastern Pacific… Very Low New Mexico New Mexico is rated Level 1 of 5 for hurricane risk by FEMA's National Risk Index, meaning direct hurricane… Very Low North Dakota North Dakota has a very low hurricane risk (level 1 of 5) because it is landlocked and far from any ocean.… Very Low Ohio Ohio has a low risk of direct hurricane impacts because it is an inland state. However, remnants of… Very Low Oklahoma Oklahoma is rarely directly hit by hurricanes, but the state can experience heavy rain, flash flooding,… Very Low Oregon Oregon has a very low hurricane risk (level 1 of 5). Direct hurricane impacts are extremely rare due to cool… Very Low South Dakota South Dakota has a very low hurricane risk (Level 1 of 5). The state does not experience direct hurricane… Very Low Tennessee Tennessee has no coastline, but the remnants of Gulf and Atlantic hurricanes regularly cross the state,… Very Low Utah Utah is rated level 1 out of 5 for hurricane risk, meaning direct hurricane impacts are extremely rare.… Very Low Vermont Vermont is rated Level 1 out of 5 for hurricane risk. It has no coastline, so direct hurricane landfalls are… Very Low Washington Washington state has a very low hurricane risk (Level 1 of 5). The cold Pacific waters make direct hurricane… Very Low West Virginia West Virginia faces a low risk of direct hurricane impacts because it is inland, but the remnants of… Very Low Wisconsin Wisconsin is far from any ocean, so direct hurricanes do not occur. However, the remnants of hurricanes and… Very Low Wyoming Hurricanes don't make landfall in Wyoming, but the leftovers from them can still soak your house. The state… Very Low

Official maps for hurricanes

About these rankings

Which states have the highest hurricanes risk?
Florida currently ranks at the top of this list (Very High). Rankings are statewide averages — a county can sit well above or below that score.
Does homeowners insurance cover hurricanes?
Wind and flood are often different policies. A hurricane can trigger both. Check whether you have a percentage hurricane deductible.
How should I use this ranking?
Find your state, open the state × hazard page, then verify the address on the official maps linked there. This page is a comparison tool, not a determination.

Last updated: June 12, 2026. Rankings are state-wide estimates based on public hazard data (FEMA, NOAA, USGS) — always verify your specific address with official sources.

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