TL;DR: FEMA's 2024 national survey found 83% of U.S. households took at least three preparedness actions, up from 57% in 2023, while cost and confidence remain the main gaps.
What the 2024 National Household Survey measured
According to the 2024 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness Findings, FEMA conducts the National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness to assess preparedness actions, attitudes and motivations in the United States and to inform programming and outreach efforts. According to Preparedness Research | FEMA.gov, FEMA conducts the annual National Household Survey to track progress in personal disaster preparedness. The same FEMA research page states that the research findings support the growth and improvement of national preparedness programs and initiatives.
The FEMA research page states that the survey measures the public's degree of preparedness for the hazards they are likely to face. The same page states that it measures the public's awareness, attitudes and experiences that can motivate actions to prepare. The same page states that it identifies successful mechanisms for enhancing preparedness as well as areas that need improvement. The findings document states that the survey measures preparedness of the American public across the whole community.
How and when the 2024 survey was collected
The survey was administered from April 25 to June 7, 2024, according to the 2024 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness Findings. Data was collected using a web-based survey written in English and Spanish. A total of 7,525 responses were received. Of those responses, 7,127 respondents completed the English-language survey. A total of 398 respondents completed the Spanish-language survey.
Results were adjusted by key demographic variables to better reflect the composition of the nation. Key demographics used for adjustment include age, sex, race, ethnicity, education and income. Responses came from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and five U.S. territories. The five territories were Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. This slide was updated as of April 2025 for the key-findings section of the findings document.
The headline result: 83% took at least three actions
In 2024, 83% of respondents reported having taken at least three preparedness actions, compared to 57% of respondents in 2023. The findings document reports the 2023 comparison figure as 57% for respondents taking at least three actions. The document notes that preparedness actions were assessed differently between 2021-2023 compared to all other years. The document states that the percentage trend covers 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Reported figures in that trend series include 46% in 2017, 57% in 2018, 62% in 2019, 68% in 2020, 59% in 2021, 55% in 2022, and 57% in 2023 before the 83% result in 2024.
The findings document states that this increase may reflect differences in the survey instrument, the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on preparedness actions and/or other factors. The findings document presents perceived preparedness with categories for respondents who have been prepared for more than a year and less than a year. The same perceived-preparedness question includes categories for respondents who are not prepared but intend to get prepared in the next six months, intend to start preparing in the next year, and do not intend to prepare in the next year. Percentages in that chart may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.
Why people said they prepared
Disaster preparedness is personal, according to the key-findings section of the 2024 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness Findings. Nearly one-third, or 30%, of respondents indicated that they have worried about a disaster affecting them or their family. Nearly half, or 44%, of respondents reported that ensuring their safety and their family's safety motivated them to prepare for a disaster.
The 2024 survey therefore links worry about family impact to motivation centered on safety of self and family. The 30% worry figure refers to worry in the last year that a disaster may affect the respondent or family. The 44% motivation figure refers to ensuring safety and family safety as a driver to prepare. Both figures appear in the key-findings summary that was updated as of April 2025.
What worried households most in the last year
Respondents were asked which of the listed items they had worried about in the last year. The most common concerns among respondents were their health or a family member's health at 53% and being able to pay their bills at 42%. The third most common concern was that a disaster may affect them or their family at 30%. Additional responses included being able to provide food for self or family at 29%, losing a job or not having a job at 26%, feeling safe in a neighborhood at 22%, and having to move or being displaced from home at 21%. Six percent selected something else.
Respondents were also asked which concern they worried most about. Respondents reported that the concerns they worried most about were their health or a family member's health at 27% and being able to pay their bills at 24%. Ten percent of respondents indicated that the concern they worried most about was a disaster affecting them or their family. Other most-worried-about responses included losing a job or not having a job at 9%, being able to provide food for self or family at 7%, having to move or being displaced from home at 6%, and feeling safe in a neighborhood at 5%. Four percent selected something else for the most-worried-about question.
Cost was the top reported barrier
Cost is a key barrier to preparedness, according to the key-findings section of the 2024 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness Findings. The most frequently selected challenge to taking actions to prepare for a disaster or emergency was thinking that it would cost too much at 26%. A sourced summary of the findings reports not knowing what to do at 25% as the next barrier after cost. Despite the rise to 83% taking at least three actions, only 32% of the public possesses high preparedness efficacy, meaning most lack confidence in their ability to prepare or doubt the impact of such actions.
For households building kits and plans on limited budgets, the cost finding points to low-cost steps already counted in national preparedness tracking. For households unsure where to start, the efficacy and knowledge findings point to written plans and listed supplies rather than larger purchases. The survey does not prescribe a specific product or price point for overcoming the cost barrier.
Who households expect to help after a disaster
People expect post-disaster support from a variety of sources, according to the findings document. While most respondents reported that they expect support from friends or family in the event of a disaster or emergency at 71%, more than half of respondents indicated that they expect support from the federal government at 52%. The 71% figure covers expected support from friends or family. The 52% figure covers expected support from the federal government.
The expectation of family help aligns with the motivation finding centered on safety of self and family. The expectation of federal help aligns with FEMA's role in connecting individuals, organizations and communities with research and tools to build and sustain capabilities. FEMA's research page was last updated July 21, 2025.
Moving, hazards and building codes
Hazard risk perceptions may affect decision-making, according to the findings document. Of the 17% of respondents who moved within the past year, about one in three considered hazards or building codes in their move. The 17% figure refers to respondents who moved within the past year. The one-in-three subset refers to those movers who considered hazards or building codes.
The finding connects a recent move to consideration of local hazard exposure and construction standards. It does not state which hazard was considered or which building code provision was used. It does not state whether consideration led to selection of a different home.
Going without water, power and basic needs
In the event of a disaster or emergency, respondents were asked how concerned they were about going without listed services. Sixty-seven percent of respondents were either very or extremely concerned about going without water. The document lists 66% as very or extremely concerned about going without energy. The document lists 65% as very or extremely concerned about going without basic needs.
The document lists 60% as very or extremely concerned about going without health and medical services. The document lists 58% as very or extremely concerned about going without communication. The document lists 55% as very or extremely concerned about going without safety and security. The document lists 46% as very or extremely concerned about going without hazardous materials management. The document lists 42% as very or extremely concerned about going without transportation.
More than half, or 54%, of respondents were not at all concerned or were only slightly or somewhat concerned about hazardous material management. Fifty-eight percent were not at all concerned or were only slightly or somewhat concerned about transportation. The water concern at 67% was the highest very-or-extremely-concerned share among the services listed.
What independent analysis of earlier survey years found
A study using 2021 to 2023 Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Household Survey data with 21,294 respondents was published April 7, 2025, according to PubMed. The study title is Enhancing Machine Learning Explainability of Disaster Preparedness Models from the FEMA National Household Survey to Inform Tailored Population Health Interventions. The study authors are Taryn Amberson, Wenhui Zhang, Samuel E. Sondheim, Wanda Raby Spurlock and Jessica Castner. The study appeared in Population Health Management.
The study aimed to validate a preexisting machine learning model of household disaster preparedness. Importance features from the preexisting random forest machine learning model were transferred and tested in multiple linear and logistic regression models with updated datasets. Multiple regression models explained 42% to 53% of the variance in household disaster preparedness. Features that improved the odds of overall disaster preparedness included detailed evacuation plans with odds ratios of 3.5 to 5.5. Features that improved the odds included detailed shelter plans with odds ratios of 4.3 to 11.0.
The same analysis found having flood insurance with odds ratios of 1.5 to 2.0. The same analysis found higher educational attainment with an odds ratio of 1.1. Having no specified source of disaster information lowered preparedness odds with odds ratios of 0.11 to 0.53. When stratified further by older adults with Black racial identities with 350 respondents, television as a main source of disaster-related information demonstrated associations with increased preparedness odds with an odds ratio of 2.2.
What the protective-action research adds
According to Preparedness Research | FEMA.gov, FEMA conducts research to help people prepare for, protect against, and respond to disaster by providing current, validated guidance for decision-making. FEMA assessed more than 380 protective actions based on 275 research studies and articles by dozens of subject-matter experts covering 12 natural hazards. That protective-action work is listed alongside the National Household Survey under FEMA preparedness research.
The household survey and protective-action research together support national preparedness programs and initiatives. The household survey tracks personal preparedness over time through the annual survey instrument. The protective-action assessment evaluates actions across natural hazards through review of studies and expert input.
How to use these numbers for a household plan
Households can compare their own status against the national action benchmark of at least three preparedness actions. Households can check whether they have a detailed evacuation plan, because detailed evacuation plans were associated with higher preparedness odds in the 2021-2023 analysis. Households can check whether they have a detailed shelter plan, because detailed shelter plans were associated with higher preparedness odds in that analysis.
Households can identify a specified source of disaster information, because having no specified source lowered preparedness odds in that analysis. Households can store water with loss-of-water concern in mind, because 67% reported being very or extremely concerned about going without water. Households can document medications and medical needs, because 60% reported being very or extremely concerned about going without health and medical services.
Households can list backup power and lighting options, because 66% reported being very or extremely concerned about going without energy. Households can list food and basic-needs supplies, because 65% reported being very or extremely concerned about going without basic needs. Households can list communication backups, because 58% reported being very or extremely concerned about going without communication.
Households that moved recently can note whether hazards or building codes were considered, because about one in three recent movers considered them. Households that have not moved can still review local hazard exposure and applicable building codes. The survey findings were published by FEMA External Affairs in the findings PDF dated May 7, 2025 in the file name.