Hurricanes are among the most destructive natural disasters in the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage annually and displacing thousands of residents. For those seeking refuge from hurricane risk, the answer lies inland — in counties far from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where hurricane winds and storm surge simply do not reach.
We identified counties with zero hurricane risk according to FEMA data, then ranked them by climate favorability using average annual temperature. These counties offer hurricane safety without requiring you to endure extreme cold or harsh conditions.
The 25 Most Hurricane-Proof Counties
Monroe County, FL is the warmest county with zero hurricane risk, averaging 77.87272727272726°F annually. The list is dominated by inland counties in the Southwest, Great Plains, and Midwest — regions that have never experienced a hurricane landfall.
| Rank | County | State | Hurricane Risk | Avg Temp (°F) | Precip (in) | Heat Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monroe County | FL | 0 | 77.87272727272726 | 43.75 | 66.57272727272726 |
| 2 | Broward County | FL | 0 | 76.7 | 61.87285714285714 | 77.675 |
| 3 | Miami-Dade County | FL | 0 | 76.55384615384615 | 62.027499999999996 | 85.93846153846152 |
| 4 | Starr County | TX | 0 | 75.5 | 20.985 | 190.75 |
| 5 | Collier County | FL | 0 | 75.31428571428572 | 54.63833333333334 | 119.21428571428571 |
| 6 | Lee County | FL | 0 | 75.2 | 55.4 | 119.69999999999999 |
| 7 | Palm Beach County | FL | 0 | 75.05714285714285 | 61.629999999999995 | 86.27142857142857 |
| 8 | Charlotte County | FL | 0 | 75.05 | 53.495000000000005 | 129.95 |
| 9 | Cameron County | TX | 0 | 75.03333333333335 | 26.204 | 120.96666666666665 |
| 10 | Hidalgo County | TX | 0 | 74.84444444444443 | 22.756999999999998 | 171.27777777777774 |
| 11 | Okeechobee County | FL | 0 | 74.6 | 50.3 | 103 |
| 12 | Martin County | FL | 0 | 74.5 | 63.44 | 83.55 |
| 13 | Hillsborough County | FL | 0 | 74.4 | 52.85333333333333 | 102.75 |
| 14 | Zapata County | TX | 0 | 74.4 | 20.4 | 171.8 |
| 15 | Yuma County | AZ | 0 | 74.05714285714286 | 4.076666666666667 | 180.34285714285716 |
| 16 | Hendry County | FL | 0 | 74.05 | 52.65 | 130.45 |
| 17 | Indian River County | FL | 0 | 74 | 54.825 | 64.15 |
| 18 | Polk County | FL | 0 | 73.94000000000001 | 51.708000000000006 | 120.94000000000001 |
| 19 | Jim Hogg County | TX | 0 | 73.9 | 22.71 | 157.6 |
| 20 | Willacy County | TX | 0 | 73.9 | 25.36 | 114.44999999999999 |
| 21 | Pinellas County | FL | 0 | 73.83333333333333 | 51.52 | 86.7 |
| 22 | Imperial County | CA | 0 | 73.67999999999999 | 2.96 | 180.06 |
| 23 | Sarasota County | FL | 0 | 73.65 | 56.17 | 130.7 |
| 24 | Glades County | FL | 0 | 73.43333333333334 | 52.84 | 116.96666666666665 |
| 25 | Orange County | FL | 0 | 73.4 | 51.46 | 110.35 |
Note
While these counties face zero hurricane risk, they may experience other severe weather including tornadoes, blizzards, or extreme heat. Always research the full risk profile before relocating.
Methodology
Hurricane risk data comes from the FEMA National Risk Index (2020), which measures the expected annual loss from hurricanes at the county level. Counties with a hurricane risk score of 0 are considered hurricane-proof for practical purposes. These counties are ranked by average annual temperature to highlight the most climate-favorable safe havens. All temperature and precipitation data comes from NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals.
Data source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020. All figures represent 30-year averages and may differ from individual-year observations. Station-level data is aggregated to county level using spatial averaging.