Rebuild by Design, an organization that helps communities build resilience, collaborated with Milliman to estimate how future coastal flooding in New York City could cause displacement of residents – both from the physical threats posed by flooding and the social and financial threats caused by people migrating to safer areas. This study finds that:
- Nearly 1.7 million people (20% of the city’s population) currently live within or adjacent to the estimated 2050 coastal floodplain; nearly 400,000 of these people live in low-income neighborhoods where the median household income is about $31,000.
- While most city residents (approximately 6.7 million people) live in areas at less risk to future coastal flooding, about 1.8 million of these people live in lower-income neighborhoods and could be displaced by residents moving inland from high risk coastal areas.
- Cumulatively, 40% of New York City’s residents are at risk of displacement due to storm surge and rising sea levels, or from the movement of people inland to relocate out of harm’s way.
This data can help the City anticipate and plan for population shifts to help give all people across the economic spectrum the best options for adapting to a future climate.
An interactive excerpt from the report is available below:
