According to research data from Cotality, a global provider of property information, analytics and technology-enabled data solutions, the New York metropolitan area has the largest concentration of homes exposed to hurricane-related risks in the United States.In the firm’s recently published 2026 Hurricane Risk Report, Cotality estimates that more than 3.27 million homes across New York face moderate or greater levels of hurricane wind risk.Cotality noted that these properties represent nearly $1.93 trillion in reconstruction cost value (RCV), placing the region ahead of major metropolitan areas in Florida and Texas.The report states that more than 32.2 million homes in the United States are exposed to hurricane wind risk, accounting for more than $12.26 trillion in RCV.

Data from the firm’s report also shows that hurricane risk increasingly extends far beyond traditional coastal danger zones, which ultimately leaves nearly one million homes underinsured and exposed to severe flood risk.Although hurricanes are typically linked to the Gulf Coast and Southeast regions, a surprising revelation from Cotality’s report indicates that the New York metropolitan area holds the highest national ranking for the number of homes vulnerable to both hurricane winds and storm surges.This situation, as noted by the firm, is largely attributed to the area’s significant population density and elevated coastal property values.

Following New York, Houston comes in second place with 2.17 million homes at risk and approximately $824 billion in exposed value, while Miami holds the third position with 2.04 million homes at risk and $616 billion in RCV.Cotality also observed that New York also leads the United States in storm surge exposure, with more than 631,000 homes said to be at risk and roughly $329 billion in RCV.Miami ranks second with nearly 495,000 at-risk homes, followed by Tampa, New Orleans, and Cape Coral.

Maiclaire Bolton-Smith, Vice President of Insurance Market Insights at Cotality, commented: “While hurricanes hit the Northeast less frequently than the Gulf Coast, the region’s immense population density and property value mean the stakes are incredibly high.“It’s critical that homeowners in the northeast understand that while landfalling hurricanes may not be as frequent as other states, the risk is still real.“A single event can cause historic financial loss, making early mitigation a critical investment that pays significant dividends when a storm inevitably makes landfall.” At state level, Cotality’s report notes that Florida continues to have the highest concentration of hurricane exposure in the country.

Cotality estimates that around 8.25 million homes in the state face moderate or greater hurricane wind risk, representing more than $2.56 trillion in reconstruction cost value.Texas ranks second with close to 4.8 million at-risk homes, followed by North Carolina follows with more than 3.1 million exposed properties.Meanwhile, Cotality also reports that Florida records the highest level of storm surge exposure nationwide, with approximately 2.47 million homes at risk and nearly $748 billion in exposed property value, which according to the firm, is more than three times higher than Louisiana, which ranks second among US states.

Cotality’s report further highlights what the firm refers to as a “significant hidden flood risk across the country” which finds that more than 927,000 homes, representing around $405 billion in property value, are said to face severe hurricane-related flood risk despite being located outside federally mandated flood insurance zones.Cotality estimates these homes contribute to approximately $1.73 billion in annual flood-related losses.Additionally, Louisiana was identified by Cotality as one of the states with the highest levels of hidden flood exposure.

According to Cotality’s report, Orleans Parish alone accounts for more than $41.8 billion in at-risk property value outside mandatory insurance zones, followed by neighboring Jefferson Parish with $28.6 billion.Brevard County, Florida, Harris County, Texas, and Suffolk County, and New York were also listed among the most exposed counties in Cotality’s report.Bolton-Smith, added: “Traditional flood maps have long provided a vital baseline for the industry, but as hurricane-driven rainfall becomes more intense and reaches further inland, it’s clear that seeing the full picture requires a higher-definition lens.

By looking beyond traditional boundaries and analyzing structural elevation data down to the individual property level, we are expanding the view for homeowners and insurers to help prevent unexpected financial losses.” It’s important to also remember that the catastrophe bond and insurance-linked securities (ILS) market provides reinsurance and risk transfer coverage to sponsors around the US, with transactions that are often multi-state in their coverage, as well as more targeted regional ILS deals including ones that are primarily more focused on northeast states such as New York..All of our Artemis Live insurance-linked securities (ILS), catastrophe bonds and reinsurance can be accessed online.Our can be subscribed to using the typical podcast services providers, including Apple, Google, Spotify and more.