U.S. flag

                    An official website of the United States government

                        Here’s how you know
                    Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
                                
                                A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
                    **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                                
                                A **lock** (A locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
 
 Skip Header

    About
    
        Events
    
        Newsroom
    
        Resources

				
				
                

                Search data, events, resources, and more

                Search

          
        
            
            
	
	
	Search

	

	Search

            Menu

	About

                        Emergency planners and community leaders can better assess the needs of coastal populations using census data.

                    

                    Overview
                        Emergency Management  Coastal Areas
            
                Events

                        Access data for communities affected by emergency events.

                        
                            View All Events

                    

                    Floods
                        
                            Hurricanes
                        Pandemics
                        
                            Tornadoes
                        
                            Wildfires
            
                Newsroom

                        Find blogs and news related to preparedness and emergency management.

                    

                    Blogs
                        News
            
                Resources

                        Browse our stories, data tools and other emergency management resources.

                    

                    America Counts: Stories
                        
                            Data Tools
                        Library
                        
                            Related Sites


      
    
    About
                
                    Events
                
                    Newsroom
                
                    Resources
                

                About
                    
                        Events
                    
                        Newsroom
                    
                        Resources

                  
                
                    Overview
                        
                            Emergency Management  Coastal Areas
                
                    View All Events

                        Floods
                        
                            Hurricanes
                        
                            Pandemics
                        
                            Tornadoes
                        
                            Wildfires
                
                    Blogs
                        
                            News
                
                    America Counts: Stories
                        
                            Data Tools
                        
                            Library
                        
                            Related Sites
 
 //
            Census.gov
                    /
		
            
            Topics
                    /
		
            
            Emergency Management / Disasters
                    /
		
            
            About Emergency Management
                    /
		
            
            Coastal Areas
 Emergency Management  Coastal Areas
 Skip Navigation Within Emergency Management / Disasters
 About this Topic
	
		America Counts: Stories
	
		Data
	
		Events
	
		Library
	
		Maps
	
		Newsroom
	
		Related Sites
	
		Surveys and ProgramsWithin Emergency Management / Disasters

			Within Emergency Management / Disasters
				
					About this Topic
				
					America Counts: Stories
				
					Data
				
					Events
				
					Library
				
					Maps
				
					Newsroom
				
					Related Sites
				
					Surveys and Programs
 Emergency Management  Coastal Areas
 The growth in population of coastal areas illustrates the importance of emergency planning and preparedness for areas that are susceptible to inclement tropical conditions. The U.S. Census Bureau’s official population estimates, along with annually updated socioeconomic data from the American Community Survey, provide a detailed look at the nation’s growing coastal population. Emergency planners and community leaders can better assess the needs of coastal populations using census data.
 This historical report uses a combination of decennial census data and population estimates to examine population trends along the country’s saltwater edges — the nation’s coastline counties.
Between 1960 and 2008, the population in coastline counties along the Gulf of Mexico soared by 150 percent, more than double the rate of increase of the nation's population as a whole. This area is now home to nearly 14 million residents.
Eighty-seven million people, or 29 percent of the U.S. population, live in coastline counties, including more than 41 million in Atlantic and 32 million in Pacific counties. In 1960, only 47 million lived in coastline counties, an increase of 40 million.
 Additional Information on Coastal Areas
 Coastline counties along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts as well as the Hawaiian Islands account for nearly two-thirds of the nation's coastline population and are home to four of the nation's 10 most populous counties. These counties are also vulnerable to one of nature's biggest threats: hurricanes.
 What is a coastal county?
 As defined by the US Census Bureau: a coastal county has to be adjacent to water classified as either coastal water or territorial sea. There are 254 coastline counties, stretching across parts of 23 states and covering 561,435 square miles. Coastline counties are located in three coastline regions: the Atlantic (129 counties), Gulf of Mexico (56 counties), and Pacific (69 counties).
 **Population Growth in Coast Counties**
The coastal population grew by 40 million people between 1960 and 2008, an 84.3% increase.Year
Coastal Population1960
47.4 million1970
56.7 million1980
63.6 million1990
73.0 million2000
82.1 million2008
87.4 million
 **Percentage Increases in Coast and Non-coastal Population by Time Period**
Time Period
Coastal
Non-coastal1960 to 1970
19.5
11.11970 to 1980
12.1
11.21980 to 1990
14.9
7.81990 to 2000
12.4
13.52000 to 2008
6.5
8.7The overall population increased between 1960 and 2008 was 84.3% for coastal areas and 64.3% for non-coastal areas.
 **Demographic Components of Population Change: 2000 to 2008**
The 5.3 million coastal population increase was due entirely to natural increase (births minus deaths) and international migration.International migration
+3.9 millionDomestic migration
-3.5 millionNatural increase
+4.5 million
 Housing Units in Coastal
 The number of housing units along the coastline increased in recent decades, from 16.1 million in 1960 to 36.3 million in 2008. During this period, the Atlantic coastline region gained the largest number of housing units (8.8 million), followed by the Pacific (6.8 million) and the Gulf of Mexico (4.5 million).
Between 1960 and 2008, the percentage increase in housing units along the coastline (126 percent) was greater than that of the United States (121 percent) or for non coastline counties (120 percent). Among the coastline regions, the total percentage increases in the Gulf of Mexico (246 percent) and the Pacific (130 percent) far outpaced the gains for the Atlantic region (98 percent).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census of Population and Housing: 1960 to 2000; Population Estimates Program: 2008.
**Coastline Counties Most Frequently Hit by Hurricanes: 1960 to 2008**
Rank
County
State
Numbers of
Hurricanes
Percent Change
1960 to 2008
Percent Change
2000 to 20081
Monroe County
FL
15
50.8
-9.22
Lafourche Parish
LA
14
67.2
2.92
Carteret County
NC
14
104.3
6.44
Dare County
NC
13
465.9
12.14
Hyde County
NC
13
-10.1
-11.16
Jefferson Parish
LA
12
108.9
-4.26
Palm Beach County
FL
12
454.7
11.98
Miami-Dade County
FL
11
156.5
6.48
St. Bernard Parish
LA
11
17.2
-43.98
Cameron Parish
LA
11
4.8
-27.68
Terrebonne Parish
LA
11
78.7
3.9The 10 most intense hurricanes since 1960 affected nearly 51 million people living in coastline counties. If those same 10 hurricanes had struck in 2008, the coastline population affected would have been closer to 70 million. Coastline counties affected by Hurricane Katrina (2005) had an overall decrease in population (nearly 2 percent loss). The populations in coastline counties affected by Hurricanes Andrew (1992) had grown by more than 20 percent.
 Share  Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn
 
 Related Information
 PUBLICATION Coastline Population Trends in the United States 1960 to 2008
 
 
 Thumbs Up ImageYes
            Thumbs Down ImageNo
 Top
 Back to Header Receive Updates
	        To sign up for updates please enter your email address.
        
        Enter your email address
	        Subscribe

	


            

            Stay Current
                            
                            America Counts
                                
                                    Director’s Blog
                                
                                    Deputy Director’s Blog
                                
                                    Random Samplings
                                
                                    Research Matters

                        Stay Connected
                            
                            Contact
                                
                                    Support
                                
                                    Jobs

                    Follow

	            Information Quality

                    |
	            
                    Data Linkage Infrastructure

                    |
	            
                    Data Protection and Privacy Policy

                    |
	            
                    Accessibility

                    |
	            
                    FOIA

                    |
	            
                    Inspector General

                    |
	            
                    No FEAR Act

                    |
	            
                    U.S. Department of Commerce

                    |
	            
                    USA.gov

            Measuring America's People, Places, and Economy