Why Are Americans So Willing to Move to Disaster Zones?
People are finally starting to take climate into account when deciding where to live. Unfortunately, they continue to make risky choices.
Disasters and soaring insurance costs are chasing some away, but there are plenty of people to take their place.
Photographer: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg
Four years ago, the rise of remote work created a new version of the American dream: No longer forced to live close to the office, millions of people realized they could pull up stakes from New Jersey or wherever and move to sunnier, cheaper places. Unfortunately, many who made the trip found a nightmare waiting when they arrived: climate change and its accompanying threat of home-destroying natural disasters.
The good news is that destruction and soaring insurance costs might finally be forcing Americans to take climate into account when deciding where to live. The bad news is that, on the whole, they’re still making risky choices — often leaping from figurative frying pans into literal fires.