US landslide susceptibility and exposure research

Researchers at the University of Washington have developed the Landslide Exposure Database, the first nationwide mapping of landslide susceptibility in the United States. The database utilizes data from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Overture Maps Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Census Bureau to rate 128 million buildings.

Initial analysis indicates that approximately 6.5 million people live in landslide-prone regions, representing about 2% of the U.S. population. These risks are concentrated in the West Coast and Appalachia, with West Virginia identified as having the largest share of at-risk residents. The study notes that landslides cause an estimated $3–6 billion in annual damages.

Subsequent findings emphasize a socioeconomic divide in vulnerability. While urban residents in hazard zones tend to be more affluent, rural populations are generally less resourced. In the Appalachian region, which contains 3.6 million people in landslide-prone areas—55 percent of the national total—the high density of lower-income residents exacerbates the impact of these hazards, as many individuals lack the financial means to relocate or implement mitigation strategies.