The 4 Most Disaster-Proof Cities in the U.S.

When you’re looking for a new city to call home, several factors are likely to factor into your decision. You want to choose a place that has great schools, accessible public transit, and affordable housing options. More than anything, you want it to be safe.

But safety can mean a lot of things in terms of city life. It can mean a competent local police force and ample emergency services, but it also relates to the big picture. How good is any given city at protecting its citizens in the event of a large-scale disaster?

This might seem like a difficult question to answer, but it actually isn’t. Every few years, the Center for Disease Control releases a list of cities that have taken measures to prepare for a large-scale natural or man-made disaster. What cities regularly make the cut? Here are four cities that are proving to be truly disaster-proof.

Washington, D.C.

If there was an award of most improved city, the honor would undoubtedly fall to Washington, D.C. In the past 15 years, the city has completely overhauled its disaster protocol and taken steps to improve its infrastructure. Some might see its proximity to federal government as an invitation for trouble, but it’s actually one of the most closely monitored, security-driven cities in the world.

Long known for its gridlock traffic in and out of the city, the city has also made huge strides to expand the beltway and promote public transportation within the city center. In general, D.C. is a city on the rise, and several up-and-coming neighborhoods remain an affordable option for anyone looking to make the move.

Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is a city that has made the most of its second chances. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, city planners made sure to rebuild with a strict disaster protocol in place. They improved the flow of transportation through and around the city, and they ensured a wealth of green space to limit the effects of an incident on the entire city.

Even during rush hour, Chicago is a decidedly easy city to navigate, and the raised El system is one of the most efficient, easy-to-use train systems of any large city. Chicago knows what happens when you don’t plan ahead for a disaster, and they’ve taken steps to make sure it never happens again.

New York City, New York

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. New York City scored a record 99.6 on the most recent list of disaster-ready cities. NYC performs especially well in the areas of emergency management and public health. The city is also very good at protecting and maintaining its public utilities such as water, electric and sewage.

Along with Chicago and Dover, NYC was given special designation as an emergency hub, meaning that in the event of a national disaster, the city would be one of few with the personnel, planning and infrastructure to serve its citizens. In addition, NYC has Wi-Fi stations set up around the city in old phone booths, in parks and in the subway. If a disaster occurs, NYC is one of the best places to be able to get in contact with your family because you can use the 4G LTE on your smartphone even if cell towers go down.

Buffalo, New York

Buffalo’s proximity to the U.S. border with Canada means that it has very good governmental oversight with regard to homeland security. It’s also very well equipped for dealing with weather-related issues, which often serves as useful test runs for dealing with other types of incidents.

In the past 10 years, Buffalo has become a model for mid-sized cities trying to develop or improve a disaster-readiness plan. The other good news is that according to Trulia, Buffalo was one of the 10 safest U.S. Cities to live in because of its low risk of being destroyed by natural disaster.