Americans are flocking to U.S. regions most threatened by climate change

Americans often pull up roots in search of better jobs and cheaper housing. But in recent years, those moves have drawn more people into regions with higher risk of natural disasters, which have become more destructive because of climate change.

Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 4 storm on Tuesday afternoon, is on a path to hit the Tampa-St. Petersburg, Florida, area late Wednesday or very early Thursday morning. Yet the metropolitan region has grown by 39% since 2000, boosting its population by an additional 1 million residents during that time. 

Last month's Hurricane Helene devastated parts of western North Carolina, including the city of Asheville, the population of which has increased by 13% since 2000, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The region attracted new residents during the past few decades by appealing to retirees, remote workers and other professionals pursuing Asheville's highly rated quality of life.