New Yorkers are used to wild weather, but a recent report just put our city at the top of a very unexpected list.
Despite hurricanes being more commonly associated with the Gulf Coast, the New York metropolitan area ranks first nationally for the number of homes at risk from both hurricane wind and storm surge.
According to the newly released 2026 Hurricane Risk Report by Cotality, more than 3.27 million New York homes face moderate or greater hurricane wind risk.
This staggering number represents nearly $1.93 trillion in reconstruction cost value, making it the highest concentration of financial risk in the entire nation.
Beating out Florida and Texas
So, how exactly did we top cities like Miami and Houston?
It all comes down to real estate and how tightly packed we are. Our region’s immense population density and high coastal property values push our exposure risk past traditional southern danger zones. Houston actually ranks second to New York with 2.17 million at-risk homes, while Miami comes in third.
New York also leads the U.S. in storm surge exposure, with more than 631,000 homes facing potential water damage and roughly $329 billion in exposed value.
“While hurricanes hit the Northeast less frequently than the Gulf Coast, the region’s immense population density and property value mean the stakes are incredibly high,” shared Maiclaire Bolton-Smith, Vice President of Insurance Market Insights at Cotality.
The hidden flood risk
The report also uncovered a massive gap in storm preparedness across the country.
Nearly one million U.S. homes face severe hurricane-related flood risks despite sitting outside of federally mandated flood insurance zones. This hidden risk accounts for an estimated $1.73 billion in annual flood losses nationwide.
Right here at home, Suffolk County ranks among the top five most exposed counties in the country for this hidden flood risk, holding $10.6 billion in exposed property value.
While Florida remains the nation’s single largest at-risk state overall, New York’s localized metro numbers are a serious wake-up call for homeowners in the northeast.
It might just be a good time to double-check those insurance policies and look into impact-resistant windows before the next big storm rolls in.