# American Dream Under Climate Threat > Climate risks threaten the American Dream as homes face flood and fire dangers. - Title: American Dream Under Climate Threat · WIRED | Shortify - Summary: Climate risks threaten the American Dream as homes face flood and fire dangers. Climate change risks could erase $1.5 trillion in home values by 2055… - Keywords: climate change, home values, flood insurance, house prices, asheville, hurricane helene, property insurance, american dream, flood zones, wildfire risks, homeowners, climate havens - Source: WIRED — https://wired.com/story/the-american-dream-wasnt-built-for-climate-change - Author: Kate Yoder - Published: 2026-11-07T10:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: climate change, home values, flood insurance, house prices, asheville, hurricane helene, property insurance, american dream, flood zones, wildfire risks, homeowners, climate havens ## Sierra Isley's Dream Home Sierra Isley, 26, wanted a suburban home with a white picket fence but found a flood risk in Asheville, North Carolina. > The house in the suburbs is just what you’re taught growing up ## Hurricane Helene Impact Hurricane Helene flooded Asheville, destroying 74,000 homes and leaving 4 percent with flood insurance. > Almost 14 inches of rain fell on Asheville over three days in September 2024 ## Climate Risk Report First Street's report projects climate risks could knock $1.5 trillion off American home values by 2055. > Property Prices in Peril ## American Dream Under Threat 58 percent of likely U.S. voters believe climate change will hinder their American Dream over the next 20 years. > 58 percent of likely U.S. voters believe that climate change will hinder their ability to achieve the American Dream ## Fossil Fuel Promises Oil and gas companies promoted fossil fuels as necessary for the American 'way of life' for a century. > Starting a century ago, oil and gas companies led extensive campaigns to tie their products to comfort and prosperity ## Trump Administration Claim Trump administration called scrapping Biden-era climate rules 'restoring the American Dream'. > restoring the American Dream ## Climate Risk on Home Values Homes in high-risk flood zones sell for 2.8 percent less than homes outside those zones. > Homes within FEMA’s high-risk flood zones sell for 2.8 percent less ## Insurance Costs Rising Property insurance costs have ballooned 80 percent since 2020, with average homeowners paying $209 monthly. > Since 2020, property insurance costs have ballooned almost 80 percent ## Sandy Hook Aftermath After Superstorm Sandy, many homeowners couldn't sell homes for enough to buy new places. > After Superstorm Sandy devastated New York City and the New Jersey coast in 2012, many homeowners couldn’t sell their houses for enough money to buy a new place ## Asheville's Climate Shift Asheville, once a 'climate haven', saw 74,000 homes damaged by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. > Asheville was supposed to be a 'climate haven', somewhere that would fare better than the rest of the country ## Home Value Decline Asheville's average home price dropped 5 percent over the past year while national prices rose 1.2 percent. > Asheville’s average home price shrunk 5 percent over the past year, while the national average increased 1.2 percent ## Insurance Market Strain Homeowners in riskiest areas face higher insurance costs, with some California homeowners dropped by insurers. > Homeowners in the riskiest areas are paying substantially more ## Community Resilience Sierra and Jamie walked neighborhoods after Hurricane Helene to help neighbors and build community. > It’s hard to put into words what that experience was like, but I’ve never felt more of a community ## Redefining Success Only 13 percent of Gen Zers associate homeownership with the American Dream versus 46 percent of baby boomers. > 46 percent of baby boomers associate homeownership with the American Dream but only 13 percent of Gen Zers do ## Sierra's New Path Sierra Isley is pursuing a master’s in public health to combat climate change and natural disasters. > I think I owe it to people like me, people in other rural communities who are going to face the same kind of climate change emergencies ## Key takeaway Climate change risks could erase $1.5 trillion in home values by 2055, forcing a redefinition of the American Dream.