Tapping data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Forest Service and FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, the real estate research firm compiled a list of the cities around the country with the lowest risk of being flooded, rocked by earthquakes, battered by hurricanes, struck with tornadoes or burned by wildfires.
Another benefit these safer cities enjoy: They tend to be affordable compared to locales in places like California, Florida and Hawaii where natural disasters are more common. There are reasons why, say, a house in Honolulu is pricey — impeccable weather, breathtaking views, exciting urban nightlife — but that won’t help when the earth starts shaking.
In fact, when a natural disaster occurs, homeowners are almost twice as likely to default on their mortgage in high-risk areas than in more sheltered regions, according to mortgage research provider CoreLogic.
Check out these North East and Mid-Western cities that topped the list, including our wonderful hometown and our basketball-loving neighbor in the East!
10. Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, Michigan
9. Denver, Colorado
8. Chicago, Illinois
7. Allentown, Pennsylvania
6. Dayton, Ohio
5. Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, Maryland
4. Buffalo, New York
3. Akron, Ohio
2. Cleveland, Ohio
1. Syracuse, New York