US Cities With the Lowest Climate Risk (2026)
FEMA's National Risk Index rates every U.S. county's overall exposure to natural hazards. These are the cities sitting in FEMA's lowest-risk band, ranked by population so the largest low-risk cities surface first. Climate risk is a major driver of home insurance costs, so a lower rating here often means more predictable premiums.
Source: US Census Bureau, FEMA National Risk Index, and FHFA House Price Index (where applicable).
| # | City | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia Beach, VA Salary needed → | 457,900 residents | Relatively Low |
| 2 | Chesapeake, VA Salary needed → | 249,377 residents | Relatively Low |
| 3 | Arlington, VA Salary needed → | 235,845 residents | Relatively Low |
| 4 | Richmond, VA Salary needed → | 227,171 residents | Relatively Low |
| 5 | Newport News, VA Salary needed → | 185,118 residents | Relatively Low |
| 6 | Alexandria, VA Salary needed → | 157,594 residents | Relatively Low |
| 7 | Macon-Bibb County, GA Salary needed → | 156,554 residents | Relatively Low |
| 8 | Hampton, VA Salary needed → | 137,217 residents | Relatively Low |
| 9 | Athens-Clarke County unified government (balance), GA Salary needed → | 126,672 residents | Relatively Low |
| 10 | Columbia, MD Salary needed → | 106,600 residents | Relatively Low |
| 11 | Rio Rancho, NM Salary needed → | 104,351 residents | Relatively Low |
| 12 | Nampa, ID Salary needed → | 102,598 residents | Relatively Low |
Other rankings
- Most Affordable US Cities to Buy a Home
- US Cities With the Cheapest Rent
- US Cities With the Highest Household Income
- Most Expensive US Cities for Housing
- Largest US Cities by Population
- Most Affordable US Cities to Buy, by Income Ratio
- US Cities Where $50K Covers Rent
- US Housing Markets That Are Cooling Off