New 'Risky Movers' Report From Fors Marsh Provides Insights About Who's Moving Into Harm's Way

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As more areas of the country face increasing climate extremes, a new report from Fors Marsh released today reveals that people who choose to relocate to high-risk areas differ from the average mover in many ways.

This report brings these "risky movers" to life through six main archetypes based on key demographics, the hazards they are most likely to face, and the prevailing climate change–related opinions in their new community. These archetypes are:

• The Young and Vulnerable: 29% of risky movers. This group, interestingly, is moving to places with the lowest level of concern about climate change impacts. Single, many with young children at home, the people in this group are renting older homes in the middle of the country. They face extreme heat, drought, and floods, and have the fewest resources to cope with the impacts of climate change and the aftermath of natural disasters.
• Wilting and Worried Out West: 27% of risky movers. This group is moving to the areas with the most concern about climate change and its impacts. The people in this group are all renters who are concentrated in California and face the highest risk of heat waves among all risky movers.
• The Mortgaged Middle: 25% of risky movers. Housing is a big part of the climate change conversation, and people in this group have financed homes in areas prone to wildfires and other climate-driven events. They are generally middle-aged and married with children who live at home.
• Fires and Floods on a Fixed Income: 10% of risky movers. This group is moving to areas with lower-than-average concern about climate change and its impacts. The oldest of the risky movers, the people in this group are retirees living alone on a reduced income. They are migrating to socially vulnerable communities that have the highest wildfire risk, second-highest risk of river flooding, and the least resilience to disasters.
• Affluent and Concerned on the Coast: 5% of risky movers. This group is more concerned than average about the impacts of climate change. Wealthy and middle-aged with children, this group lives in or around major coastal cities and urban centers like New York City and Los Angeles. They are likely to face hurricanes and coastal floods but are highly disaster resilient.
• Retired and Well-Resourced: 4% of risky movers. These well-off retirees are moving to hurricane-prone coasts and are most likely to experience the largest losses when climate disasters strike.

Insights into the distinct types of people who choose to move to high-risk areas can be harnessed to shape public policies, communications, services, and tools that will better protect people who are the most likely to be affected by climate change.

Understanding the unique characteristics of each audience is also important when creating customized messaging about risk to drive action.

"When it comes to communicating about climate-change risks, there's no one-size-fits-all approach," Fors Marsh's Climate Resilience Director Kristin Murphy said. "These insights can shape public messaging and program designs to account for what these folks care most about, so we can drive risk-informed actions at every level to build a more climate-resilient nation."

Download the full Risky Movers report for deeper insights into the types of people who are moving to areas that are becoming increasingly hotter, wetter, and more hurricane-prone.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Lauren Johnson
Marketing Director, Fors Marsh
[email protected]

About Fors Marsh:
At Fors Marsh, we take on issues that matter. We are a team of researchers, advisors, and communicators working together to shape the systems that shape our lives. Fueled by empathy and grounded in evidence, we bring together the science of research and the art of communication. We look at human behavior from all angles to design targeted solutions that influence decision-making and move people to action. 

SOURCE Fors Marsh