Homebuyers Continue to Flock to States With High Wildfire Risk

Despite the growing impacts of extreme weather events, many homebuyers are choosing to move to areas prone to wildfires. According to a recent study from online lending platform LendingTree, just two of the 29 U.S. metros most at risk for wildfires—Redding, Calif., and Wenatchee, Wash.—had more people leaving than moving in, the most recent 2023 data indicate. Flagstaff, Ariz., on the other hand, had the most incoming residents, with 137.1 people moving in for every 1,000 residents. This was followed by Ocala, Fla., and Chico, Calif., which had a respective 96.8 and 84.6 people moving out for every 1,000 residents.

Matt Schulz — LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst and author of “Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More: How to Take Control of Your Financial Life” — says high fire risk can lead to higher mortgage rates and lower home prices, especially if fires have recently hit nearby.

Unlike Flagstaff, two California metros (Los Angeles and Fresno) have the lowest rates of people moving in and out when factored together, suggesting a stable population.

And while these metros have a stable population, both have positive migration rates, meaning more people move in than out. A net of 7.9 people moved in per 1,000 residents in Los Angeles, while that figure was 15.4 in Fresno. Read more