As hurricane season approaches, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau is highlighting which parts of Eastern North Carolina may struggle most to recover from a major disaster. The bureau’s latest interactive map measures social vulnerability, a ranking based on factors like high poverty levels, crowded housing, and a lack of reliable transportation.
In eastern North Carolina, the map shows a stark contrast between most coastal hubs and rural inland neighbors. While beach towns often have the resources to rebuild quickly, rural stretches across counties like Jones, Lenoir, and Pamlico, and Duplin show higher percentages of people living with three or more risk factors. These factors, which include limited internet access and a large elderly population, create significant barriers to receiving emergency alerts or evacuating safely.
Emergency managers are using this data to identify neighborhoods where neighbors might be stranded without a vehicle or unable to afford basic supplies after a storm. The goal is to move beyond just tracking the path of a hurricane and start focusing on the resilience of the people in its way.
