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Louisiana has the highest percent of employment at risk during hurricane season

July 01, 2024

Hurricane season affects county employment and wages in the 19 Gulf and Atlantic Coast states. Every third quarter, during peak hurricane season, we update maps and data for hurricane flood zones in these coastal states. In third quarter of 2023, Louisiana, once again, had the largest share of employment located in hurricane flood zones, 30.6 percent. This was followed by Florida (20.5 percent), New York (16.3 percent), New Jersey (15.7 percent), and Massachusetts (15.7 percent). North Carolina, Alabama, and New Hampshire had the lowest percentages of employment in hurricane flood zones among states in affected areas along the coast.

Percent of state employment in hurricane flood zones, third quarter 2023

Percent of state employment in establishments in hurricane flood zones, third quarter 2023
State Percent of employment affected Total employment

Louisiana

30.6 1,877,385

Florida

20.5 9,595,986

New York

16.3 9,424,261

New Jersey

15.7 4,183,090

Massachusetts

15.7 3,651,349

Delaware

12.1 475,082

South Carolina

10.4 2,249,533

Mississippi

10.3 1,156,869

District of Columbia

8.7 756,505

Virginia

8.3 4,054,445

Connecticut

7.4 1,666,047

Rhode Island

5.6 492,210

Maryland

5.3 2,690,793

Maine

5.2 655,183

Georgia

3.3 4,793,204

Texas

2.9 13,681,799

North Carolina

2.6 4,806,942

Alabama

2.3 2,073,538

New Hampshire

0.5 685,667

Some areas have large proportions of their employment in hurricane flood zones. In the months of July through September, 10 of the top 25 areas were Louisiana parishes, 7 were North Carolina counties, and 3 were Florida counties. St. John the Baptist, Louisiana, had the largest share of employment located in hurricane flood zones, 95.7 percent, followed by Lafourche, Louisiana, 95.5 percent, and Currituck, North Carolina, 95.4 percent. Charlotte, Florida, had the largest share of employment in hurricane flood zones within the state of Florida, 89.3 percent.

Percent of area employment in hurricane flood zones, third quarter 2023

Percent of area employment in hurricane flood zones, third quarter 2023
County or parish State Percent of employment affected Total employment

Charlotte

Florida 89.3 52,313

Lee

Florida 87.1 290,004

Collier

Florida 85.8 160,641

Monroe

Florida 80.1 44,911

Franklin

Florida 72.8 3,587

Gulf

Florida 52.6 4,469

Sarasota

Florida 49.8 185,510

Pinellas

Florida 47.8 449,587

Wakulla

Florida 47.6 6,266

St. Johns

Florida 46.3 95,461

Hillsborough

Florida 32.7 777,735

Citrus

Florida 32.3 33,876

Nassau

Florida 30.6 26,711

Volusia

Florida 29.2 184,690

Miami-Dade

Florida 28.8 1,223,782

Manatee

Florida 26.3 137,534

Indian River

Florida 25.7 55,573

Brevard

Florida 25.1 238,298

Pasco

Florida 23.5 139,736

Dixie

Florida 20.6 2,850

Duval

Florida 18.0 553,005

Escambia

Florida 15.0 146,130

Santa Rosa

Florida 13.3 43,402

Bay

Florida 12.9 81,067

Flagler

Florida 10.2 27,368

Broward

Florida 10.0 851,084

Hernando

Florida 9.5 48,977

Palm Beach

Florida 8.6 648,826

Glades

Florida 8.6 1,817

Walton

Florida 8.6 34,644

Okaloosa

Florida 8.4 90,564

Taylor

Florida 7.7 6,777

Levy

Florida 6.8 9,148

Martin

Florida 5.8 76,185

Hendry

Florida 4.6 12,093

DeSoto

Florida 4.1 9,484

St. Lucie

Florida 3.3 88,097

Okeechobee

Florida 2.0 11,772

Clay

Florida 0.9 55,299

Putnam

Florida 0.6 16,657

Jefferson

Florida 0.0 2,884

Lafayette

Florida 0.0 1,333

Liberty

Florida 0.0 1,775

Washington

Florida 0.0 6,067

Gilchrist

Florida Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Highlands

Florida Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

St. John the Baptist

Louisiana 95.7 12,510

Lafourche

Louisiana 95.5 34,341

Jefferson

Louisiana 94.9 180,750

Terrebonne

Louisiana 94.8 47,782

Orleans

Louisiana 93.5 183,919

Plaquemines

Louisiana 88.9 11,487

St. James

Louisiana 87.3 8,021

St. Charles

Louisiana 86.9 25,149

Assumption

Louisiana 85.1 3,735

Ascension

Louisiana 84.8 48,823

St. Tammany

Louisiana 57.4 95,254

Tangipahoa

Louisiana 4.9 46,637

Currituck

North Carolina 95.4 8,241

Camden

North Carolina 92.3 1,185

Dare

North Carolina 91.2 22,698

Washington

North Carolina 89.2 3,015

Pasquotank

North Carolina 88.1 15,706

Chowan

North Carolina 87.5 5,052

Hyde

North Carolina 86.0 1,888

Beaufort

North Carolina 72.4 15,416

Pamlico

North Carolina 63.3 3,752

Carteret

North Carolina 62.3 25,102

Craven

North Carolina 32.2 40,409

Gates

North Carolina 29.7 1,311

Brunswick

North Carolina 17.3 39,923

Pender

North Carolina 14.6 14,049

Bertie

North Carolina 14.4 4,985

New Hanover

North Carolina 11.6 128,650

Onslow

North Carolina 8.0 52,733

Perquimans

North Carolina 6.7 2,297

Jones

North Carolina 5.4 1,591

Pitt

North Carolina 0.2 79,086

Columbus

North Carolina 0.0 14,591

Halifax

North Carolina 0.0 14,943

Sampson

North Carolina 0.0 16,720

Bladen

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Duplin

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Edgecombe

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Greene

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Hertford

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Lenoir

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Martin

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Northampton

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

Tyrrell

North Carolina Non-disclosed data Non-disclosed data

These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). We have more hurricane maps and data with employment, wages, and establishment counts in hurricane flood zones, as well as  flood zone questions and answers. Hurricane maps and table data are from third quarter because it is most aligned with the hurricane season determined by the National Hurricane Center.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Louisiana has the highest percent of employment at risk during hurricane season at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/louisiana-has-the-highest-percent-of-employment-at-risk-during-hurricane-season.htm (visited November 04, 2024).

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