Richmond ranked most climate resilient city in the country by USA Today - WRIC ABC 8News

Richmond ranked most climate resilient city in the country by USA Today | WRIC ABC 8News

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond has been ranked the best city for climate resiliency in the United States, according to a 2024 study conducted by USA Today’s research team.

The study involved ranking 96 of the 100 most populous cities in the U.S. by using different metrics to determine each city’s climate resiliency. The following factors were used to determine each city’s ranking:

- The FEMA National Risk Index — to determine vulnerability to natural disasters
- Coastal and riverine flood risk
- Drought risk
- Frequency of severe weather events (such as heat waves, hurricanes and tornadoes)
- Renewable energy tax incentives available to city residents
- Projected water stress levels — the supply and demand of drinking water based on 2050 predictions
- Tree Equity Score — the availability of tree canopy coverage for communities vulnerable to extreme heat and other climate effects

The city of Richmond was ranked first for its staggeringly low FEMA Risk Index rating of 43.02 — the next closest city being Arlington with a 73.91.

While USA Today found that the James River does pose a flood risk, the city’s infrastructure is comparatively well-equipped to protect lower-lying neighborhoods.

A full list of the 96 cities that were ranked can be found here.