Areas in Texas are often slammed with hurricanes. Some cities nationwide tend to experience many more hurricanes than others, and some also experience more powerful ones than others. To determine the cities with the most Category 3 and above hurricanes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on historical hurricane tracks from 1842 to 2022 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, ranking census places by the number of such hurricanes within their boundaries.
Likely, not surprisingly, 29 of the 50 places on the list are in Florida, though several are part of Miami-Dade County. This is the case with other communities on the list, which tend to be in the same general geographical area. Following Florida, nine of the places on the list are in Texas, eight are in Louisiana, and four are in Mississippi.
Methodology
Census places were ranked based on the number of Category 3 and above hurricanes – storm events with a maximum wind speed of 111 mph or greater – recorded within their boundaries since 1842. Hurricane tracks and census place boundaries were overlapped spatially using QGIS. Census place boundaries are from the U.S. Census Bureau and are for 2023.
Why Are We Covering This
Hurricanes are the most damaging natural disasters in the United States, responsible for trillions of dollars in damages and thousands of lives. While destruction is the worst when hurricanes land, they can go far inland or cause considerable damage in their aftermath, such as tropical storms. Knowing an area’s propensity to be in the path of such destructive forces is good.
50. Starks, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1918 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
49. Marco Shores-Hammock Bay, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Wilma 2005 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
48. Big Point, MS
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Frederic 1979 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
47. Hurley, MS
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Frederic 1979 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
46. Fort Myers Beach, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
45. Iona, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
44. Cape Coral, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (120.8 mph max wind speed)
43. Goodland, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (123.1 mph max wind speed)
42. Bayview, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Beulah 1967 (126.6 mph max wind speed)
41. Vinton, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Audrey 1957 (126.6 mph max wind speed)
40. Laguna Vista, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Beulah 1967 (126.6 mph max wind speed)
39. Port Isabel, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Beulah 1967 (126.6 mph max wind speed)
38. Gulf Breeze, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Dennis 2005 (126.6 mph max wind speed)
37. Medley, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
36. Port Sulphur, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1893 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
35. El Portal, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
34. Cut Off, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Betsy 1965 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
33. Galliano, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Betsy 1965 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
32. Southwest Ranches, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
31. Weston, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
30. Miami Beach, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
29. Davie, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
28. Miami Gardens, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
27. Miramar, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
26. Pembroke Pines, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
25. Hialeah, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
24. Miami, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane King 1950 (132.3 mph max wind speed)
23. Empire, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Katrina 2005 (133.5 mph max wind speed)
22. Liverpool, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1900 (138.1 mph max wind speed)
21. Galveston, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1900 (138.1 mph max wind speed)
20. Los Fresnos, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1880 (139.2 mph max wind speed)
19. Marathon, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Donna 1960 (143.8 mph max wind speed)
18. Coral Gables, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1926 (143.8 mph max wind speed)
17. Cameron, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Laura 2020 (149.6 mph max wind speed)
16. Hackberry, LA
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Laura 2020 (149.6 mph max wind speed)
15. Brazoria, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1932 (149.6 mph max wind speed)
14. Leisure City, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)
13. South Miami Heights, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)
12. Cutler Bay, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)
11. Homestead, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)
10. Diamondhead, MS
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Camille 1969 (172.6 mph max wind speed)
9. Picayune, MS
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Camille 1969 (172.6 mph max wind speed)
8. Duck Key, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 3 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (184.1 mph max wind speed)
7. Key Largo, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1926 (126.6 mph max wind speed)
6. Brownsville, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1880 (139.2 mph max wind speed)
5. Alvin, TX
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1932 (149.6 mph max wind speed)
4. Sanibel, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (157.7 mph max wind speed)
3. Marco Island, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (166.9 mph max wind speed)
2. Princeton, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 4 storms
- Most powerful storm: Hurricane Andrew 1992 (166.9 mph max wind speed)
1. Islamorada, Village of Islands, FL
- Category 3 and above hurricanes since 1842: 5 storms
- Most powerful storm: Unnamed hurricane 1935 (184.1 mph max wind speed)
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