Zillow Identifies 7 Midwest Cities With Minimal Climate Risks—Are You in One? | Global News Avenue

Climate risks and high Home Insurance Zillow’s cost has become an increasingly concerned home buyer, and has identified seven Midwest cities where houses face the minimal threat to floods, wildfires, winds and other extreme weather events.

According to Zillow, less than 10% of the new home lists in Cleveland, Columbus and five other Midwest markets have serious climate risks. That’s why these cities are listed and what you should know when evaluating the climate risks of any town.

Which American city has the lowest climate risk?

According to Zillow’s climate risk score, the list of new homes in key markets in the Midwest is the lowest climate risk in the country, which assesses the likelihood of property experiencing climate-related hazards over the next 30 years.

The website evaluates historical weather data involving five climate threats, including five climate threats, wildfires, wind, heat, and air quality – although states such as California, Floridaand Louisiana Seeing a large portion of the new list classified as high risk, Midwest cities remain completely isolated from these threats.

According to Zillow, less than 10% of the new lists in Cleveland, Columbus, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Detroit and Kansas City, Missouri are facing major climate-related risks.

These cities perform much better than the national average. Of all the new U.S. lists, Zillow found that more than half (55.5%) faced major risks of extreme calories and about one-third had major risks of extreme storm exposure.

About 16.7%, 13% and 12.8% of the new list face major climate risks associated with wildfires, air quality and flooding, respectively.

Unlike many regions where many climate threats overlap, the Midwest benefits from the natural geographical advantages of mitigating certain risks. Although it remains a hot spot for tornadoes, the cool climate of the Midwest and distance from the ocean coastline make it less inclined to experience harsh weather events such as heat waves and wildfires.

Why climate risks are important to homebuyers

Climate risks can be expensive in unexpected ways for buyers. High-risk homes often require additional insurance policies, face stricter loan requirements, and may see fluctuations in real estate value.

Zillow’s research shows that over 80% of potential homebuyers now include climate risks in their decisions, and that’s good reason. In 2024, insurance companies cover about $140 billion of the $320 billion losses that cause natural disasters, meaning nearly 60% of the losses are not.

If you are considering taking action, keep this in mind:

Conduct research

Before buying a home that is prone to adverse weather events, make sure you have done research to understand the condition of the home and whether any safety upgrades have been made (such as flood pool storm panels).

Professionals Home Checkup Can help reveal issues you may be overlooking, especially in important areas such as drainage systems and foundations.

Insurance cost factors

Homes in high-risk areas often require flooding, wildfires or windmill insurance, which can increase your long-term costs even if your home escapes disaster.

Check with your Mortgage lender See if the home also offers any other requirements for insurance and consider options other than private providers. For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provides flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, and some states also offer special types of insurance.

Consider attribute values

Long-term housing value trends are increasingly linked to climate risks.

Historically, homebuyers prioritized affordability and quality of life, resulting in rapid growth in sun belt states such as Florida and California. However, rising insurance costs and frequent natural disasters in these areas are changing immigration patterns, pushing buyers to areas with higher climate stability.

As a result, properties in low-risk areas like the Midwest may see stronger demand and more stable long-term value, while homes in high-risk areas may become more expensive and therefore secure and harder to sell.

Bottom line

Climate risks are reshaping where Americans want to live and what money they are willing to pay for their homes. According to Zillow’s research, if you want to avoid these risks, Midwest cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Minneapolis are a great choice for your new home.

These cities have lower floods, wildfires and extreme heat compared to other parts of the country.

While there is no location at all risk-free, understanding how climate risks affect insurance, home value and long-term affordability will help you make smarter home purchase decisions – one that can save you money and keep you in the coming decades Reassure you.