More than 4 million U.S. residences along the Atlantic and GulfCoasts are at risk of hurricane-driven storm-surge damage, withmore than $700 billion in total property exposure—and the cost ishighest along the Atlantic Coast, according to the 2012 CoreLogic Storm Surge Report.

In the Atlantic Coast region alone, there are approximately 2.2million homes at risk, valued at more than $500 billion. Totalexposure along the Gulf Coast is nearly $200 billion, with justunder 1.8 million homes at risk for potential storm-surgedamage.

“Hurricane Irene made it very clear last summer that hurricanerisk is not confined to the southern parts of the country,” saidDr. Howard Botts, vice president and director of databasedevelopment for CoreLogic Spatial Solutions. “Our 2012 report showseven a Category 1 storm could cause property damage in the billionsalong the northeastern Atlantic Coast and force major metropolitanareas to shut down or evacuate.”

The study breaks down risk by Core Based Statistical Areas(CBSAs), defined by the Office of Management and Budget as an urbancenter and all the adjacent regions tied to that center. The studyis based on CoreLogic’s database of parcels--individual propertyassociated with an address--within each category of the storm surgepolygon, with values as of April 2012. For the full report,click here.

Follow along as we look at the potential property damage andrisk vulnerability for 10 coastal metropolitan areas.

10. Charleston, S.C.

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 79,556

Total structural value: $17,287,678,966

Average value: $217,302

Home to some of the nation’s mosthistoric neighborhoods, Charleston could sustain as much as $8billion in total property damage even from a Category 1 storm.Residential areas that could be the worst affected include JohnsIsland and portions of Mount Pleasant and Charleston.

9. Jacksonville, FL

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 127,481

Total structural value: $18,372,979,757

Average value: $144,123

In the event of a Category 5 hurricane,five different areas could sustain property damage of more than $1billion. The Ponte Vedra Beach area alone could sustain propertydamages of more than $2.8 billion.

8. Cape Coral, FL

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 172,513

Total structural value: $19,623,515,300

Average value: $113,751

The Cape Coral/Fort Myers metro regionhosts the largest population between Miami and Tampa, with morethan 172,513 properties at risk. A Category 1 hurricane could cause$9.4 billion in damage and affect 70,000 properties.

7. Houston

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 178,000

Total structural value: $19,784,418,775

Average value: $111,148

A Category 1 storm could cause arearesidents total property damage of more than $1.9 billion.Residential areas most at risk include League City, Galveston,portions of Houston and La Porte.

6. Boston

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 71,328

Total structural value: $23,279,728,965

Average value: $326,376

More than 71,000 properties in theBoston metro area are susceptible to a Category 4 storm makinglandfall in the city, with these homes valued at more than $23billion. Even a Category 1 storm could generate surge that couldaffect more than 10,000 properties worth more than $2.9billion.

5. Tampa, FL

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 283,603

Total structural value: $28,887,406,535

Average value: $101,859

A Category 5 hurricane would mostlikely affect multiple ZIP codes across a large portion of Tampa,along with part of Saint Petersburg. Other affected areas couldinclude Palm Harbor, Port Richey and Tarpon Springs.

4. New Orleans

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 276,930

Total structural value: $38,690,939,229

Average value: $139,714

If levees are topped or failaltogether, as they did during Hurricane Katrina, the water wouldbe trapped and cause significant additional damage. Even with aCategory 1 storm, surge alone could inundate more than $26 billionworth of property and affect more than 195,000 homes.

3. Miami

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 229,413

Total structural value: $42,674,254,427

Average value: $186,015

The Miami to Palm Beach area isuniquely situated to be impacted from hurricanes traveling fromthree different directions. In a Category 5 hurricane, portions ofMiami and Jupiter, along with West Palm Beach, would be susceptibleto sustaining an estimated $9.1 billion in damage.

2. Virginia Beach, VA

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 290,522

Total structural value: $46,020,134,284

Average value: $158,405

The Hampton Roads CBSA, which includesVirginia Beach, Norfolk and Newport News, is the 36th largest inthe country, with a total population of 1.6 million, according tothe 2010 U.S. Census. Even a Category 1 storm could cause arearesident total property damage of close to $10 billion, impactingmore than 59,000 homes.

1. New York, NY

Total properties potentially affected by all categoriesof hurricane: 455,255

Total structural value: $168,070,185,834

Average value: $369,178

Even if the hurricane is only aCategory 1 storm, it could still cause total property damage of $48billion and affect more than 119,000 residential properties in themetro area. Based on the analysis, residential areas that could bemost affected by a storm surge include Beach Haven, West Islip,Massapequa, Riverhead, and a portion of Brooklyn.