American Counties at Risk of Flooding from Climate Change

A recent study revealed that roughly 13 million Americans could be at risk from risiing seas caused by climate change. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects that seas could rise up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) by 2100 in the worst-case scenario, and at least 3-feet (0.9 m) in more optimistic scenarios. Based on projections of population growth in these areas, the worst-case scenario will lead to 13 million climate change refugees in the continental U.S., the study suggests, while a lower sea level rise  will displace 4.2 million people in the continental U.S.

Nearly half of the people affected will live in Florida, and under the highest sea level rise, a third of the county of Miami could be forced to relocate, the study suggests. From Miami-Dade County to San Mateo, California, here is the list of places at biggest risk. [Read the full story on the climate change refugees]

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RankCountyStatePeople at risk, 3-foot risePercent at risk 3-foot risePeople at risk, 6-foot risePercent at risk 6-foot rise
1Miami-DadeFL231,3364.20%1,967,01835.90%
2BrowardFL102,9922.50%1,543,94436.80%
3PinellasFL101,6134.80%391,87218.40%
4LeeFL86,0276.30%299,51422.00%
5JeffersonLA196,99518.90%289,70627.80%
6NassauNY69,6072.70%257,56010.20%
7San MateoCA190,18912.40%249,02016.20%
8OrangeCA65,3360.90%225,7203.20%
9CharlestonSC81,94311.30%195,69826.90%
10OceanNJ86,4306.50%176,36013.40%
11AlamedaCA39,5301.30%175,5225.90%
12VolusiaFL49,7734.50%169,43215.40%
13SuffolkMA19,7352.10%168,00017.60%
14CollierFL39,7035.60%162,43322.70%
15KingsNY4,3760.10%161,5644.80%
16OrleansLA103,11217.20%160,00626.70%
17QueensNY27,7730.80%159,3724.40%
18TerrebonneLA88,08036.80%156,43965.40%
19Palm BeachFL26,0900.90%149,8145.00%
20SuffolkNY69,6252.10%145,2914.40%
21DuvalFL65,4023.60%144,0587.80%
22City of Virginia BeachVA46,0174.20%143,22613.10%
23MonroeFL91,55754.80%138,88683.10%
24HillsboroughFL34,2911.30%137,7495.10%
25BrevardFL44,0993.50%134,44210.70%
26AtlanticNJ45,5798.80%128,45124.80%
27GalvestonTX29,4874.80%124,62620.20%
28LafourcheLA88,24244.20%122,83461.60%
29HudsonNJ9,5801.10%114,02612.60%
30New YorkNY7,3150.30%109,0454.80%
31JeffersonTX57,07012.40%108,96523.70%
32CharlotteFL33,4088.90%108,10028.80%
33ChathamGA49,5879.50%96,42718.40%
34St. JohnsFL42,34010.70%94,96924.10%
35MiddlesexMA11,6970.40%91,5893.40%
36MarinCA65,50812.20%90,04916.70%
37ManateeFL45,1306.30%88,88012.40%
38BeaufortSC32,6399.70%88,28126.20%
39St. CharlesLA53,29945.90%82,91471.40%
40SarasotaFL25,2182.90%80,6609.30%
41Cape MayNJ38,16818.70%79,34538.90%
42St. MaryLA45,93043.50%75,42671.50%
43St. TammanyLA36,3756.90%75,20014.30%
44MonmouthNJ25,2601.90%74,2715.70%
45BergenNJ30,8051.80%73,3374.40%
46St. BernardLA48,68947.50%67,86566.20%
47PascoFL30,4992.90%67,0566.30%
48City of NorfolkVA16,5314.10%65,14016.00%
49Santa ClaraCA25,8970.60%63,8451.60%
50City of HamptonVA17,7975.50%62,77819.50%
51FairfieldCT18,2551.10%57,5503.30%
52City of ChesapeakeVA20,2063.80%56,16610.40%
53GlynnGA23,79514.40%48,12729.00%
54AscensionLA18,9128.50%47,47421.30%
55St. John the BaLA19,99619.80%46,03545.60%
56San DiegoCA13,5150.20%45,0340.60%
57EssexMA18,9621.50%44,3533.50%
58New HavenCT20,3601.30%43,3032.70%
59BrazoriaTX19,4632.90%42,6366.30%
60Indian RiverFL14,7224.80%42,58813.80%
61SussexDE25,2906.40%42,04110.70%
62DareNC25,73732.90%39,98951.10%
63PlymouthMA21,3442.20%39,5124.10%
64CarteretNC18,18012.50%39,23126.90%
65Los AngelesCA16,2840.10%38,7600.20%
66JacksonMS26,1268.30%38,53412.30%
67MartinFL15,6184.60%37,84111.20%
68SolanoCA17,0431.90%36,9684.10%
69BayFL15,4404.20%36,94710.00%
70MiddlesexNJ16,8671.00%35,5542.10%
71St. LucieFL16,8202.80%35,3055.80%
72WorcesterMD10,98710.70%34,87233.90%
73San FranciscoCA3,0490.30%33,3642.90%
74Anne ArundelMD15,0471.30%33,0192.80%
75New HanoverNC16,4053.90%32,5947.70%
76CamdenNJ9,4241.00%32,4763.30%
77BarnstableMA12,9572.70%30,4816.20%
78BurlingtonNJ12,6861.30%30,3933.20%
79HorrySC17,2043.00%30,2565.30%
80HarrisTX13,7410.20%30,0000.30%
81NorfolkMA9,7930.80%29,5272.30%
82BaldwinAL21,2215.50%29,5057.70%
83ClayFL12,4042.90%29,2256.90%
84BaltimoreMD12,8190.70%28,9331.70%
85AssumptionLA23,81056.70%28,62368.20%
86SalemNJ14,52712.80%28,09524.70%
87MobileAL17,0172.00%27,7993.20%
88CalcasieuLA15,0763.80%26,8976.70%
89EscambiaFL12,5312.00%26,6974.20%
90OrangeTX14,9008.30%26,59214.80%
91VermillionLA9,2208.50%26,58024.40%
92IberiaLA15,08710.30%26,44418.10%
93St. JamesLA18,93848.00%25,95565.80%
94Santa RosaFL13,7694.20%25,9217.90%
95New CastleDE13,3901.20%25,3682.30%
96CravenNC12,3535.80%24,70411.70%
97CurrituckNC16,66733.20%24,60449.00%
98Grays HarborWA13,43811.10%24,22720.10%
99Contra CostaCA14,1450.60%23,5721.00%
100PasquotankNC7,2099.40%23,39930.70%
101PlaqueminesLA15,57832.40%23,33148.60%
102CitrusFL10,2733.10%23,0807.00%
103BerkeleySC9,4252.40%22,9605.90%
104RichmondNY8,0170.90%22,4012.40%
105HarrisonMS13,4153.30%22,0845.50%
106OkaloosaFL7,6471.90%21,5345.20%
107FlaglerFL7,7143.90%21,36910.90%
108NassauFL10,6376.80%21,23013.50%
109City of PoquosonVA8,62627.70%21,04967.60%
110BristolMA7,5380.80%20,6652.10%
111GeorgetownSC11,4859.40%18,56215.20%
112WestchesterNY4,4620.30%18,3461.10%
113NuecesTX4,0200.60%17,5682.50%
114VenturaCA1,8320.10%17,5330.90%
115OnslowNC10,0312.70%17,4794.70%
116AccomackVA12,61822.60%16,91030.30%
117HancockMS10,84411.10%16,28416.70%
118BeaufortNC9,0989.90%16,17517.60%
119BrunswickNC9,1704.00%16,0577.00%
120CameronTX9,9611.20%16,0121.90%
121HumboldtCA9,4913.60%15,9746.10%
122City of PortsmouthVA3,2801.80%15,3078.40%
123GloucesterNJ6,5131.10%15,1782.60%
124LivingstonLA11,0244.00%14,9335.50%
125PhiladelphiaPA4,6030.20%14,9250.70%
126BronxNY1,6880.10%14,7540.80%
127RockinghamNH8,1511.30%14,4382.30%
128SomersetMD10,72027.10%14,28436.10%
129MiddlesexCT8,9312.70%13,7914.10%
130Queen Anne'sMD5,9446.10%13,35013.60%
131YorkVA5,9264.20%13,1659.20%
132CamdenGA6,7056.20%13,15512.10%
133UnionNJ3,1640.40%12,9061.40%
134St. MartinLA4,2144.00%12,75012.00%
135CumberlandME5,8681.10%12,7492.40%
136New LondonCT5,6911.10%12,6872.40%
137ChambersTX11,96016.60%12,56817.40%
138AransasTX4,4918.80%11,87423.20%
139EssexNJ4590.00%11,7521.10%
140TangipahoaLA10,8194.60%11,7374.90%
141HernandoFL7,7542.00%11,6613.00%
142CumberlandNJ6,6602.50%11,1384.20%
143SnohomishWA6,5170.40%11,0890.70%
144IbervilleLA4,6239.30%10,64621.30%
145CameronLA9,03963.00%10,45772.90%
146City of Newport NewsVA4,5731.10%10,3722.60%
147WaltonFL5,1264.60%10,3019.30%
148BristolRI4,9235.40%9,90810.90%
149PutnamFL6,6214.00%9,5735.80%
150DorchesterMD6,03010.90%9,56317.20%
151KentDE5,9171.80%9,4272.80%
152GloucesterVA4,9416.20%9,42011.90%
153City of SuffolkVA6,7383.60%8,9874.80%
154MontereyCA2,0490.20%8,8511.00%
155DorchesterSC6,0602.10%8,8023.00%
156WashingtonRI3,6341.40%8,7153.30%
157YorkME5,1521.30%8,5232.20%
158WakullaFL5,2698.50%8,42513.50%
159St. MarysMD4,4102.00%8,1913.60%
160NewportRI2,7131.70%7,8465.10%
161ClatsopOR5,1838.00%7,81512.10%
162PittNC4,0921.20%7,7972.30%
163DelawarePA3,2210.30%7,6950.80%
164HydeNC6,67270.50%7,59880.20%
165CalvertMD5,3522.80%7,5944.00%
166SkagitWA4,2531.80%7,4843.20%
167PenderNC3,9963.80%7,2996.90%
168CamdenNC2,62714.90%7,28641.20%
169WhatcomWA3,4950.90%6,8461.70%
170HarfordMD4,1740.80%6,7511.20%
171Santa BarbaraCA1,4860.20%6,7470.70%
172LibertyGA4,1613.00%6,7424.80%
173Prince WilliamVA5,1370.60%6,6950.70%
174PamlicoNC3,22813.10%6,65626.90%
175BryanGA3,9066.20%6,62210.50%
176FairfaxVA3,0760.10%6,6190.30%
177TalbotMD2,3123.10%6,6099.00%
178IslandWA3,9872.30%6,5833.80%
179AcadiaLA3,5561.60%6,4482.90%
180McIntoshGA4,36015.70%6,32122.80%
181CoosOR2,5832.20%6,3175.50%
182WicomicoMD3,8632.00%6,2013.20%
183PierceWA1,3110.10%6,1900.40%
184TyrrellNC4,57469.40%6,04691.80%
185KitsapWA1,7040.30%5,9031.10%
186KentRI2,4050.70%5,8341.70%
187MathewsVA2,66516.20%5,76234.90%
188Isle of WightVA4,7106.70%5,5997.90%
189FranklinFL3,71717.50%5,58826.40%
190Jefferson DavisLA2,6324.80%5,0749.30%
191KingWA1,2100.00%4,9890.10%
192San PatricioTX2,6382.20%4,9164.10%
193JasperSC2,5925.40%4,87610.20%
194BucksPA2,1150.20%4,8070.30%
195WashingtonNC3,20012.70%4,79619.10%
196ThurstonWA8520.20%4,7530.90%
197District of ColumbiaDC2,0050.20%4,6290.50%
198LafayetteLA2,4060.50%4,5650.90%
199James CityVA3,2292.50%4,4723.50%
200CecilMD2,5471.20%4,4142.10%
201Prince GeorgesMD2,8690.10%4,3660.20%
202City of AlexandriaVA1,9120.60%4,3351.50%
203MatagordaTX2,4613.30%4,3035.80%
204ProvidenceRI1,2000.10%4,2420.40%
205PacificWA1,9245.20%4,23711.50%
206ColletonSC1,8062.40%3,9935.30%
207ClarkWA1,3660.10%3,9840.40%
208NapaCA3,1861.10%3,8771.30%
209RocklandNY1,7210.30%3,6990.60%
210CharlesMD2,4190.70%3,6381.10%
211ChowanNC2,5879.20%3,52812.60%
212CalhounTX1,7564.00%3,5088.00%
213GulfFL1,4425.30%3,35112.40%
214PerquimansNC1,4295.70%3,29313.10%
215Del NorteCA1460.30%3,2775.80%
216LincolnOR1,3751.40%3,2753.40%
217Santa CruzCA7240.10%3,2450.60%
218MercerNJ2,1000.30%3,0990.50%
219MartinNC1,1942.70%3,0517.00%
220LevyFL1,9752.30%2,9783.40%
221KentMD1,6304.70%2,9538.60%
222ColumbiaOR1,0511.10%2,7933.00%
223Baltimore CityMD7230.10%2,7230.30%
224DukesMA1,0833.10%2,6217.60%
225SagadahocME1,7192.60%2,5843.90%
226StaffordVA1,7680.60%2,4980.90%
227SonomaCA1,3590.10%2,4660.20%
228San Luis ObispoCA1,3320.20%2,4440.40%
229TaylorFL1,3123.20%2,2015.40%
230BertieNC1,7145.00%2,1186.20%
231East Baton RougLA4430.00%2,1150.20%
232GatesNC1,7038.10%2,0079.50%
233NorthamptonVA1,0135.70%1,95611.00%
234MultnomahOR4430.00%1,7620.10%
235LancasterVA9634.40%1,7468.00%
236ColumbiaNY3910.40%1,6701.50%
237ClallamWA7380.50%1,6481.10%
238JeffersonWA7131.10%1,6002.60%
239WahkiakumWA5399.10%1,57226.70%
240NorthumberlandVA8043.40%1,5716.70%
241UlsterNY9240.30%1,5620.50%
242MasonWA7310.60%1,5511.30%
243DixieFL8582.50%1,5324.40%
244King WilliamVA1,1153.70%1,4904.90%
245DouglasOR7860.40%1,4460.70%
246HancockME5940.60%1,4361.40%
247RensselaerNY3430.10%1,4300.50%
248DutchessNY5500.10%1,4080.20%
249HertfordNC1,0172.40%1,4023.30%
250West Baton RougLA1010.20%1,3242.90%
251WestmorelandVA7532.20%1,2903.70%
252EssexVA1,0214.90%1,2776.20%
253KnoxME5910.80%1,2571.80%
254City of FranklinVA9924.60%1,2495.80%
255OrangeNY4620.10%1,2420.20%
256TillamookOR7401.50%1,1722.40%
257CharltonGA4802.10%1,1715.20%
258CarolineMD7381.20%1,1642.00%
259MiddlesexVA5942.80%1,1625.60%
260CowlitzWA4930.30%1,1290.60%
261King GeorgeVA8411.80%1,1062.30%
262New KentVA8442.20%1,0752.90%
263WashingtonME5060.90%1,0261.90%
264StraffordNH5190.20%9950.40%
265GreeneNY5960.70%9511.10%
266LincolnME5240.80%8841.40%
267SouthamptonVA5342.30%8283.60%
268RichmondVA6054.00%8065.40%
269NantucketMA4432.00%8013.60%
270AlbanyNY2380.00%7220.10%
271HartfordCT3290.00%7170.00%
272City of WilliamsburgVA5592.20%6802.70%
273PassaicNJ1860.00%6280.10%
274LaneOR4040.10%6100.10%
275WillacyTX4101.30%5221.70%
276KlebergTX1890.30%4970.80%
277MendocinoCA1470.10%4890.30%
278HamptonSC1350.40%4501.30%
279SomersetNJ2540.00%4400.10%
280CurryOR1890.40%4230.90%
281JacksonTX2481.10%3721.60%
282King and QueenVA2261.90%3593.10%
283San JuanWA1630.50%3491.00%
284PutnamNY1690.10%3470.20%
285WashingtonFL1760.40%3440.70%
286GilchristFL1210.30%3421.00%
287SurryVA2772.30%3352.70%
288WilliamsburgSC1090.20%3340.60%
289PenobscotME1220.00%3040.10%
290JonesNC1681.00%2951.70%
291SeminoleFL2230.00%2460.00%
292WaldoME1280.20%2190.30%
293VictoriaTX610.00%2150.10%
294JeffersonFL1060.40%2060.80%
295EffinghamGA370.00%2020.20%
296ArlingtonVA820.00%1870.00%
297Charles CityVA1000.70%1751.30%
298MarionSC900.10%1720.30%
299RefugioTX1001.00%1481.50%
300ColumbusNC440.00%1450.10%
301EdgecombeNC680.10%1170.10%
302KenedyTX6910.30%10014.90%
303LenoirNC410.00%990.10%
304Prince GeorgeVA530.10%690.10%
305DuplinNC180.00%680.10%
306BladenNC200.00%520.10%
307KennebecME260.00%460.00%
308LibertyFL240.20%390.30%
309LakeFL320.00%320.00%
310NorthamptonNC150.00%260.10%
311DeSotoFL190.00%210.00%
312MarionFL90.00%150.00%
313St. LandryLA70.00%140.00%
314BrantleyGA50.00%120.00%
315FlorenceSC40.00%100.00%
316SkamaniaWA20.00%70.00%
317CarolineVA40.00%60.00%
317WayneGA-0.00%60.00%
319HalifaxNC30.00%50.00%
Tia Ghose
Managing Editor

Tia is the managing editor and was previously a senior writer for Live Science. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired.com and other outlets. She holds a master's degree in bioengineering from the University of Washington, a graduate certificate in science writing from UC Santa Cruz and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Tia was part of a team at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that published the Empty Cradles series on preterm births, which won multiple awards, including the 2012 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism.