If you want to live in a metropolitan area that’s not likely to suffer natural disasters, then Redfin has a list for you.
The real estate brokerage ranked the 50 largest metropolitan areas according to their frequency of earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes. According to the report, the least disaster-prone metro areas in the country are Providence, R.I.; Detroit; and Hartford, Conn.
Redfin identified the most disaster-prone metro areas as Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Riverside, Calif.; New York; and Austin, Texas.
“When you buy a home you are paying for more than just the house,” Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather said in a release. “There could be hidden costs associated with natural disasters. If a natural disaster strikes, you may have to pay for damage to your home or for the cost of evacuating your family.
“And even during times of calm, you may still need to pay for insurance against floods, fire, or earthquakes,” Fairweather said. “Some homes in more hazardous areas might seem more affordable if you are just looking at the sticker price, but they may end up costing more when risks related to natural disasters are factored in.”
Redfin said the metropolitan areas with low natural disaster hazard scores tended also to be relatively affordable housing markets, with nine of the 10 least hazardous metro areas having median home prices below the $287,400 national median. The exception is Salt Lake City, which ranked as the eighth-least hazard-prone metro area but has a median home price of $320,000.
Redfin said many of the most disaster-prone metros, including Washington, Los Angeles and New York, have home prices well above the national median.