Can you afford to evacuate during severe weather? Many Americans can’t, poll finds

A sizable share of Americans say they wouldn’t or couldn’t evacuate their homes during severe weather, according to new polling, which comes as Florida was bracing for Hurricane Milton.

In the latest YouGov poll, 13% of respondents said they probably or definitely would not leave their home if their local government issued an evacuation order because of extreme weather.

Republicans were more than twice as likely than Democrats to say they probably or definitely wouldn’t evacuate — 19% versus 8%.

The vast majority, meanwhile, said they would likely comply with an evacuation order. Thirty-eight percent said they would definitely leave, and 36% said they would probably leave.

The poll, conducted on Oct. 8, sampled 2,379 U.S. adults.

Additionally, nearly one-quarter of respondents, 24%, said they probably or definitely could not afford to relocate from their home for a few days during severe weather.

This figure includes 25% of Republicans, 24% of independents and 20% of Democrats.

The majority, though, signaled that they likely could bear the cost of leaving their homes for a few days. Thirty-three percent said they definitely could afford to, and 32% said they probably could.

Eighteen percent of respondents also said they have had to evacuate their homes in the past due to natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or wildfires.

Respondents from the South (26%) were the most likely to say they’ve evacuated before, while those in the Midwest (9%) were the least likely to say they had.

In contrast, 79% of respondents said they’ve never had to leave their homes due to severe weather.

The poll comes as Florida residents were preparing for Hurricane Milton — a Category 4 storm — to make landfall. Millions of people in the Tampa Bay area were issued evacuation orders, according to the Associated Press.

The poll also comes just weeks after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the southeastern U.S. Over 200 people died as a result of the storm, and hundreds more remain unaccounted for, according to NBC News.

This story was originally published October 9, 2024 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Can you afford to evacuate during severe weather? Many Americans can’t, poll finds."