When thinking of the “worst” hurricanes, you can categorize by damage or fatalities. The following is a list Atlantic Basin storms that have caused the most damage in the United States. For a list of storms that have caused the most deaths, click here.

NOTE: There is A LOT of information floating around out there concerning costs associated with storms. The statistics below are taken from recent media reports (through July 2005) and the national Hurricane Center. Most of the damage estimates are listed twice- first in real dollars for the period the storm hit, then as 2004 inflation adjusted dollars.

Also note: There is another list available at the Insurance Information Institute regarding losses. That list is for INSURED losses only, not overall losses…

Worst Hurricanes-Damage ( U.S.):

1.         2005: Hurricane Katrina, Category 3

Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida 

Total Damage: $81.2 billion (in 2005 dollars)

2.         1992: Hurricane Andrew, Category 5 

            Florida ( Homestead), Louisiana

            Total Damage: $26.5 billion ($43.67 billion in 2004 dollars)

3.         2005: Hurricane Wilma, Category 3 

Florida

Total Damage: $20.6 billion (in 2005 dollars)

4.         2004:Hurricane Charley, Category 4

            Florida ( Fort Myers), South Carolina

            Total Damage: $15 billion (in 2004 dollars)

5.         2004:Hurricane Ivan, Category 4

            Florida, Alabama

            Total Damage: $14.2 billion (in 2004 dollars)

6.         2005: Hurricane Rita, Category 3

Texas, Louisiana

Total Damage: $11.3 billion (in 2005 dollars)

7.         2011: Hurricane Irene, Category 3

            North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont

            Total Damage: Estimated $7-$10 Billion (in 2011 dollars)

8.         2004: Hurricane Frances, Category 3

            Florida, Georgia

            Total Damage: $8.9 billion (in 2004 dollars)

9.         2008: Hurricane Ike, Category 2

            Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas

            Total Damage: $8.1 billion (in 2008 dollars)

10.       1989: Hurricane Hugo, Category 4

            South Carolina, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico

            Total Damage: $7.0 billion ($12.25 billion in 2004 dollars)

11.       2004:Hurricane Jeanne, Category 3

            Florida

            Total Damage: $6.9 billion ($6.9 billion in 2004 dollars)

12.       2001:Tropical Storm Allison (never reached hurricane status)

            Texas

            Total Damage: $5.0 billion (in 2001 dollars)

13.       1999:Hurricane Floyd, Category 2

            Mid Atlantic, Northeastern U.S.

            Total Damage: $4.5 billion (in 1999 dollars)

14.       1996: Hurricane Fran, Category 3

            North Carolina, Virginia

            Total Damage: $3.2 billion (in 1996 dollars)

15.       1995: Hurricane Opal, Category 3

            Northwest Florida, Alabama

            Total Damage: $3.0 billion (in 1995 dollars)

16.       1998: Hurricane Georges, Category 2

            Florida Keyes, Mississippi, Alabama

            Total Damage: $2.31 billion (in 1998 dollars)

17.       1979: Hurricane Frederic, Category 3

            Alabama, Mississippi

            Total Damage: $2.3 billion (in 1979 dollars)

18.       1972: Hurricane Agnes, Category 1

Florida (Panhandle), Georgia, Carolinas, Northeastern U.S.

            Total Damage: $2.1 billion ($11.29 billion in 2004 dollars)

19.       1983: Hurricane Alicia, Category 3

            North Texas

            Total Damage: $2.0 billion (in 1983 dollars)

20.      1991: Hurricane Bob, Category 2

            North Carolina, Northeast U.S.

            Total Damage: $1.5 billion (in 1991 dollars)

21.       1985: Hurricane Juan, Category 1

            Louisiana

            Total Damage: $1.5 billion (in 1985 dollars)

22.       1969: Hurricane Camille, Category 5

            Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Virginia

            Total Damage: $1.42 billion ($8.89 billion in 2004 dollars)

Others of Note:

            1965: Hurricane Betsy, Category 3

            South Florida and southeast Louisiana

            Total Damage: $10.8 billion in 2004 dollars

            1955: Hurricane Diane, Category 1

            Northeastern United States

Total Damage: $6.99 billion in 2004 dollars