Atlantic Hurricane Season Overview

Stat Detail Source
14 named storms per average Atlantic hurricane season (1991–2020 baseline) - NOAA National Hurricane Center, 2024
7 hurricanes per average season, of which 3 are major (Category 3 or higher) - NOAA NHC, 2024
26M Americans living in hurricane-risk coastal counties from Texas to Maine - NOAA, 2023
~90% of hurricane deaths are caused by water, storm surge and inland flooding, not wind - NOAA National Hurricane Center, 2024

Evacuation Compliance Rates

Stat Detail Source
60–80% evacuation compliance in mandatory evacuation zones during major hurricane events - FEMA / Hurricane behavioral studies, 2023
<40% evacuation compliance in voluntary or recommended evacuation zones - FEMA, 2023
48–72 hrs advance notice FEMA recommends issuing before evacuations, yet most residents wait for mandatory orders - FEMA / NWS Hurricane Preparedness Guidelines, 2024
15–20% of people refuse to evacuate because they cannot bring their pets, based on post-Katrina behavioral surveys - Fritz Institute / post-Katrina studies, 2006–2023

| ~70% | of Florida residents in mandatory evacuation zones complied during Hurricane Ian (2022), a Category 5 storm | - FEMA / University of Florida survey, 2023 |

| 32% | of residents in Hurricane Harvey (2017) evacuation zones evacuated, a lower rate driven by rapid intensification and limited warning time | - Texas A&M University / NHC review, 2018 |

| 1 in 4 | evacuees report traffic congestion as a primary reason they would not attempt evacuation again in the future | - FEMA/University of Delaware, 2022 |

Household Preparedness Levels

Stat Detail Source
39% of Americans in hurricane-prone areas have adequate emergency supplies (food, water, first aid) at home - FEMA National Household Survey, 2023
52% of coastal residents have a family emergency communication plan for hurricane season - American Red Cross, 2023
~20% of homes in high-risk hurricane zones lack flood insurance despite being at significant flood risk - Insurance Information Institute / FEMA, 2024
67% of Florida homeowners had shutters or impact-resistant windows as of 2023, up from 42% in 2015 - Florida Division of Emergency Management, 2024

| 44% | of Gulf Coast residents say they have enough water stored for 72 hours, below FEMA’s recommendation of 1 gallon per person per day | - University of South Carolina / NOAA Sea Grant, 2023 |

| $150–300 | average cost for a basic hurricane preparedness kit, a prohibitive expense for many low-income households | - FEMA / Consumer survey research, 2024 |

Economic Costs & Insurance Coverage

Stat Detail Source
$22B average annual U.S. hurricane damage (2020s inflation-adjusted average) - NOAA NCEI, 2025
$192B total inflation-adjusted cost of Hurricane Katrina (2005), the costliest U.S. hurricane on record - NOAA NCEI, 2024
$131B total inflation-adjusted cost of Hurricane Harvey (2017) - NOAA NCEI, 2024
$113B total inflation-adjusted cost of Hurricane Ian (2022) - NOAA NCEI, 2024

| $91B | total inflation-adjusted cost of Hurricane Maria (2017), primarily impacting Puerto Rico | - NOAA NCEI, 2024 |

| $75B | total inflation-adjusted cost of Hurricane Ida (2021) | - NOAA NCEI, 2024 |

| $3,000–9,000 | average FEMA Individual Assistance payout per household, far below typical uninsured recovery costs | - FEMA, 2024 |

Vulnerable Populations

Stat Detail Source
49% of Hurricane Katrina fatalities were adults aged 75 or older, the most vulnerable demographic in hurricane disasters - CDC / LSU Hurricane Center study, 2006
68% of Hurricane Katrina deaths were from drowning, a figure that underscores the water-dominant nature of hurricane fatalities - CDC, 2006
1.5x higher hurricane mortality rate for residents of mobile and manufactured homes compared to site-built homes - NWS / NOAA, 2023
24% of coastal households live below the poverty line, less likely to own a vehicle or afford evacuation-related expenses - U.S. Census Bureau / NOAA analysis, 2023

| 3x | more likely low-income households are to remain in evacuation zones during mandatory orders compared to higher-income households | - University of South Carolina / Hazards Research Lab, 2022 |

| ~1M | people with disabilities or access/functional needs living in hurricane-prone coastal counties, often requiring additional evacuation support | - FEMA / CDC, 2023 |

Fatalities & Risk Factors

Stat Detail Source
1,833 total deaths attributed to Hurricane Katrina, the deadliest U.S. hurricane since 1928 - NOAA National Hurricane Center, 2006
2,975 estimated indirect deaths from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico (after peer-reviewed excess mortality studies) - Harvard School of Public Health / NEJM, 2018
156 direct deaths from Hurricane Ian (2022), many from freshwater flooding, not surge as widely expected - NOAA NHC, 2023
~85% of hurricane fatalities in the 2010s–2020s were water-related (storm surge, rainfall flooding, or rip currents) - National Weather Service, 2024

| 1 in 3 | hurricane fatalities occur in vehicles, drivers attempting to cross flooded roads or evacuate too late | - CDC / NWS, 2023 |

For a deeper look at how natural disaster risks are shifting across the country, see our Wildfire Statistics 2026 page and Emergency Supply Kit Statistics. Climate-driven changes mean the preparedness conversation is more urgent than ever.

Shelter Capacity & Availability

| ~800,000 | total emergency shelter capacity in hurricane-prone Gulf and Atlantic states, insufficient for the 26 million at-risk residents | - FEMA / Red Cross analysis, 2024 |

| 2–5 hrs | average travel time to a designated hurricane shelter for rural coastal residents, compared to 30–60 min in metro areas | - FEMA / DHS, 2023 |

| 25% | of public hurricane shelters in the Gulf Coast area do not have backup generators, a critical gap for those with medical needs | - American Red Cross / FEMA shelter assessments, 2023 |

| 7,000+ | Americans used hotel/motel vouchers rather than public shelters during Hurricane Ian (2022), a growing trend toward non-congregate sheltering | - FEMA, 2023 |

Frequently Asked Questions