How will US households adjust their housing behaviors in response to climate change?

Abstract

Americans are moving toward climate risk, even as property damage from climate stresses becomes more salient. Over the coming years, climate change is likely to affect housing decisions through a variety of channels, for instance, by making high‐risk locations less attractive both to live and to invest. Households can respond to climate change in multiple ways, reflecting their underlying risk tolerance, financial resources, social networks, lifestyle preferences, and access to information. Private market actors and governments can also alter their engagement with housing markets, including the pricing and availability of property insurance and mortgages and subsidies for climate‐friendly retrofits. In this article, I review the literature on how households are incorporating climate risks into their housing decisions, identifying knowledge gaps and priorities for policymakers. A growing body of work suggests that localized climate risks are capitalized into housing prices in high‐risk areas, particularly in the recent wake after high‐profile storms. Much less is known about consumer knowledge of, and responses to, chronic climate stresses. A notable research gap exists on the climate impacts on renter households and rental markets.