List of the Costliest Hurricanes in the United States

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Hurricanes are the costliest of all weather and climate disasters in the United States, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They form in the North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific oceans, creating wind and precipitation conditions that can cause catastrophic destruction to the built environment and widespread disruption of consumer activities. Estimated costs for these weather events include losses to vehicles and buildings (residential, commercial, and municipal), damage to physical infrastructure (levees, bridges, and roads), impacts on energy distribution, and the destruction of agricultural assets, including livestock and crops. NCEI reports that, on average, hurricanes have a per event cost of more than $20 billion. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, with damages totaling more than an estimated $198 billion (adjusted for 2024 dollars).

The table below lists the costliest hurricanes in the United States and its territories following the 2024 hurricane season, when two hurricanes—Helene and Milton—entered the list at numbers 6 and 11, respectively.

Costliest hurricanes in the U.S.
rank hurricane name (and location) year category estimated damage in constant 2024 U.S. dollars*
*Values based on the Consumer Price Index (2024) adjusted cost.
**Of tropical storm intensity but included because of high damage.
Data sources: National Hurricane Center and NOAA Hurricanes in History archive.
1 Katrina (southeastern Louisiana; southeastern Florida; Mississippi) 2005 3 198,600,000,000
2 Harvey (eastern Texas; southwestern Louisiana) 2017 4 158,600,000,000
3 Ian (central Florida; North Carolina; South Carolina) 2022 4 119,400,000,000
4 Maria (Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands) 2017 4 114,180,000,000
5 Sandy (mid-Atlantic U.S.; northeastern U.S.) 2012 1 87,300,000,000
6 Helene (northwestern Florida; central Georgia; northwest South Carolina; southwest North Carolina) 2024 4 78,700,000,000
7 Ida (southeastern Louisiana; Mississippi; Tennessee; Kentucky) 2021 4 83,900,000,000
8 Irma (Florida) 2017 4 63,400,000,000
9 Andrew (southeastern Florida; southeastern Louisiana) 1992 5 59,600,000,000
10 Ike (Texas; Louisiana) 2008 2 42,900,000,000
11 Milton (central Florida) 2024 5 34,300,000,000
12 Ivan (Alabama; northwestern Florida) 2004 3 33,700,000,000
13 Michael (western Florida; South Carolina; North Carolina) 2018 5 30,900,000,000
14 Wilma (southern Florida) 2005 3 29,700,000,000
15 Florence (North Carolina; South Carolina) 2018 1 29,600,000,000
16 Rita (southwestern Louisiana; northern Texas) 2005 3 29,000,000,000
17 Laura (eastern Texas; western Louisiana) 2020 4 27,700,000,000
18 Charley (southwestern Florida) 2004 4 26,200,000,000
19 Hugo (U.S. Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico; South Carolina) 1989 4 22,500,000,000
20 Irene (mid-Atlantic U.S.; northeastern U.S.) 2011 1 18,600,000,000
21 Frances (Florida) 2004 2 16,000,000,000
22 Agnes (Florida; northeastern U.S.) 1972 1 15,700,000,000
23 Allison (northern Texas) 2001 TS** 14,900,000,000
24 Betsy (southeastern Florida; southeastern Louisiana) 1965 3 14,000,000,000
25 Matthew (southeastern U.S.) 2016 1 12,900,000,000
26 Jeanne (Florida) 2004 3 12,300,000,000
27 Floyd (mid-Atlantic U.S.; northeastern U.S.) 1999 2 12,000,000,000
27 Camille (Mississippi; southeastern Louisiana; Virginia) 1969 5 12,000,000,000
29 Georges (Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands; southeastern U.S.) 1998 2 11,400,000,000
30 Fran (North Carolina) 1996 3 9,900,000,000
31 Diane (North Carolina) 1955 1 9,700,000,000
32 Opal (northwestern Florida; Alabama) 1995 3 9,500,000,000
33 Alicia (northern Texas) 1983 3 9,400,000,000
Mindy Johnston