By the Numbers: As population along the Atlantic coast has boomed, more Americans at risk from hurricanes

Apr 10, 2009 9:54 AM

35.7 million

Estimated population (as of July 1, 2008) most threatened by Atlantic storms and hurricanes in the coastal portions of the states stretching from North Carolina to Texas, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report. In 1950, 10.2 million Americans lived in this area.

The country's population was 152.3 million in July 1950 and 303.8 million in July 2008, meaning the number of people in those coastal areas has grown faster than the overall U.S. population. Houston, Miami, and Tampa-St. Petersburg, and Houston are the largest metropolitan areas within the zone. (Click on the map, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to enlarge it.)

Just more than half of the people at risk reside in Florida, with about 10.6 million living along the Atlantic Ocean and around 7.3 million on the Gulf Coast.

Essential information: Read about one of the forecasts for the 2009 Atlantic storm season, and be prepared for weather emergencies. e-mail | Twitter