New Census Bureau data reveals that hurricanes are the leading cause of displacement due to natural disasters in the United States, with Black and Latino communities disproportionately affected. In 2023, 2.5 million people were forced to leave their homes, primarily due to hurricanes in the Southeast.
The data, collected through the Household Pulse Survey, provides valuable insight into disaster-related displacement patterns. According to the survey, Black residents in the Southeast are nearly twice as likely to experience hurricanes compared to non-Black residents in the same region. Factors such as lower average income and higher rates of renting among Black populations contribute to increased vulnerability to displacement and longer periods away from home.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s analysis of 2022 data found that Black and Latino households were twice as likely to be displaced after a disaster, regardless of homeownership status. The 2023 survey also indicated that Black and Latino LGBTQ individuals faced even higher displacement rates.
Post-displacement challenges were significant, with over a third of respondents reporting hunger in the month following a storm. More than half of those displaced said they were contacted by potential fraudsters.
As climate change intensifies hurricane frequency and strength, experts anticipate that displacement numbers and racial disparities may continue to grow. Andrew Rumbach of the Urban Institute emphasized the importance of this data, stating, “This, at least, gives us a snapshot of that” cumulative cost of displacement.
While the survey has limitations, including broad definitions of terms like “natural disaster” and “displacement,” it provides crucial information for understanding and addressing the disproportionate impact of hurricanes on minority communities.
See “The Racial Realities of Hurricane Displacement” (February 26, 2024)
