FEMA buyouts vs. risky real estate: New maps reveal post-flood migration patterns across the US

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

James R. Elliott, Rice University and Debolina Banerjee, Rice University

(THE CONVERSATION) Dangerous flooding has damaged neighborhoods in almost every state in 2025, leaving homes a muddy mess. In several hard-hit areas, it wasn’t the first time homeowners found themselves tearing out wet wallboard and piling waterlogged carpet by the curb.

Wanting to rebuild after flooding is a common response. But for some people, the best way to stay in their community, adapt to the changing climate and recover from disasters is to do what humans have done for millennia: move.

Researchers expect millions of Americans to relocate from properties facing increasing risks of flood, fire and other kinds of disasters in the years ahead.

What people do with those high-risk properties can make their community more resilient or leave it vulnerable to more damage in future storms.

We study...