Here are some handy “fast facts” about the 

U.S. coast from NOAA’s Office for Coastal 

Management. Head to coast.noaa.gov for 

more bite-sized facts on coastal economics, 

demographics, weather, storms, ports, marine 

debris, and more.

Lots of people live along the coast.

DEMOGRAPHICS

• U.S. coastal counties 

are home to 40 percent 

of the nation’s 

population, but only 

account for 10 

percent of the 

nation’s land 

mass (excluding 

Alaska).

• From 1970 to 

2010, coastal county populations increased by 39 percent. 

• Approximately 446 people per square mile live in coastal 

counties (except Alaska), compared to the national 

population density of roughly 87 people per square mile.

The coast brings a lot of $$$ to the table.

ECONOMICS

• Annually, coastal counties produce more than $7.6 trillion 

in goods and services, employ 53.6 million people, and pay 

$3 trillion in wages.

• If the nation’s coastal counties were an individual country, 

it would rank third in the world in gross domestic product, 

surpassed only by the United States and China.

• There are 149,000 ocean-dependent businesses in the U.S., 

employing more than 3 million people and paying over 

$117 billion in wages. These businesses grew almost twice 

as fast as the economy as a whole.

Coastal Fast Facts

coast.noaa.gov

Office for Coastal Management

Hurricanes cost a lot.

HURRICANES

“Nuisance” flooding is a big deal.

TIDAL FLOODING

• Scientists say this type of flooding has increased 300 

to 900 percent since the 1960s. 

• Several cities are experiencing it 10 to 20 additional 

days per year, evoking road closures, overwhelmed 

storm drains, and compromised infrastructure and 

water quality.

• Projections say the majority of coastal communities 

will experience 30 days of tidal flooding annually by 

2050.

• Katrina was the most expensive 

hurricane. Insured losses were 

calculated to be $41 billion.

• Sandy caused $18.75 billion in insured 

property losses. 

• Estimates for insured losses from 

Matthew were from $1.5 billion to $7 

billion.

• For Katrina, there were 167,985 flood 

insurance payouts, which amounted to 

$16 billion. The average paid loss was 

$97,140.
Weather can be ugly.

WEATHER DISASTERS

• There were 15 weather and climate disasters in the U.S. in 2016 with 

losses exceeding $1 billion.

• Of the 203 weather disasters from 1980 to 2016, tropical cyclones have 

caused the most damage: $560.1 billion total, with an average of $16 

billion cost per event, and the highest number of deaths (3,210).

OFFICE FOR COASTAL MANAGEMENT

Shipping is what brings stuff.

PORTS

• Seventy-six percent of all trade involves some sort of 

marine transportation. That figure jumps to 90% for 

international trade.

• Traffic volume is expected to double by 2012 and 

double again shortly after 2030.

Pretty, but oh so much more.

WETLAND BENEFITS

• Areas behind existing salt marshes have 20 percent fewer property damages. 

• The Nature Conservancy says coastal wetlands prevented more than $625 million in 

property damages during Hurricane Sandy; in New Jersey, wetlands saved more than 

$425 million in property damages. In Maryland, wetlands reduced damages by 29 percent.

• Long Island Sound (New York) has lost 50 percent of its wetlands in the past 130 years.

Seafood farming is growing.

AQUACULTURE

• The United States produced $1.2 billion worth of aquaculture seafood in 2012, and 

the top U.S. marine aquaculture species were Atlantic salmon ($77 million), oysters 

($136 million), and clams ($99 million).

• In 2014, the country’s seafood industry supported nearly 1.4 million jobs and 

generated $153 billion in sales impacts. 

• In 2013, Americans consumed more than 4.6 billion pounds of seafood, equating to 

about 14.5 pounds per person. 

The ocean trash can.

MARINE DEBRIS

• Worldwide, more than 200 species of marine life have been negatively impacted by debris. 

• Since 2006, NOAA has supported over 100 marine debris removal projects across the country, 

removing more than 5,500 metric tons of debris from our oceans. 

• All across the world, large areas of concentrated marine debris, mostly made up of 

microplastics, swirl through the ocean’s water column, in what’s known as garbage patches.