As Climate Change Accelerates, These Southwestern Markets Are Safe Havens
A recent study from CoreLogic analyzed the risk of natural disasters over the next 30 years to determine the safest housing markets for Americans looking to avoid extreme weather events. Among all of the counties tracked in the report, McKinley, N.M., was the least vulnerable in the wake of increasingly destructive natural disasters.
It was followed by other Southwestern counties such as Conejos and Summit, in Colorado, and Duchesne, Utah, where higher elevations reduce the risk of property damage from thunderstorms, wildfires, and flooding, Realtor.com reports.
Since 1980, there have typically been about eight major weather disasters in the United States annually that cause at least $1 billion in losses. However, over the past five years, there has been an average of 18 disasters of that magnitude each year.
“The frequency and intensity of major weather events, like hurricanes, wildfires, is increasing,” says [John] Rogers.