February 27, 2025
Roughly half of the public report being personally affected by extreme heat waves or extreme cold spells over the past five years. Of those who have faced these and other types of extreme weather or natural disaster events, 72% consider climate change to be a contributing factor.
Relatively few feel that climate change has already had a major impact in their lives, but many think it will impact them in the future. Less than half think that climate change will not have impact them personally, their health, or air quality or availability of water in their area at some point in their lifetime.
There is broad support for federal government action for the people who live in areas more susceptible to extreme weather and natural disasters, but less support for limiting new construction in these communities.
Reported extreme weather events vary by geographic region. Midwesterners are most affected by extreme cold, with 68% reporting severe cold weather within the past five years. Fifty-one percent of Southerners, 46% of Northeasterners and 34% of Westerners report recently experiencing extreme winter storms. But 62% Southerners and 61% Westerners have experienced extreme heat waves, along with 46% of those living in the Northeast and 41% living in the Midwest. Hurricanes are most commonly reported by people living in the South (43%), while droughts and wildfires are most frequently experienced by those living in the West (50% and 44%).
Of those who experienced a major weather event or natural disaster in the past five years, 72% believe climate change is a contributing factor. The vast majority of Democrats believe climate change is a cause, compared with less than half of Republicans.
Most say climate change has or will have a major impact on them personally. They also think it will impact the quality of air in their area. About half feel the same about the availability of water in their area and their health.
Adults ages 18 to 44 are more likely than older adults to say that climate change will have an impact in their lifetime on them personally (51% vs 37%), the air quality (47% vs 35%) or availability of water (49% vs 34%) in their area, or their health (53% vs 35%).
Geographic region also influences concerns about the impact of climate change has had or will have. Worry about water availability is most common in the West, with 28% reporting they have already been impacted by water shortages. Forty-six percent of Southerners are concerned about the future impact of climate change on air quality in their area.
There is broad support for government aid in the case of disasters. Six in 10 adults favor the federal government providing money for residents either to make their properties better protected from extreme weather events or to rebuild their property in the same community. A similar amount support the government providing homeowners’ insurance for residents living in natural disaster-prone areas who cannot get private insurance. The public is less sure about limiting development in disaster-prone areas, with about 44% in favor of the federal government preventing further construction, 38% neither favoring nor opposing the approach, and 18% opposed.
Most people are at least somewhat concerned about increasing costs associated with climate change. Six in 10 are extremely or very concerned about increasing property insurance premiums for households. About half are concerned about increasing costs for household energy, local emergency responders, or government funded infrastructure.
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to be concerned about financial risks associated with climate change. The most concern among Democrats (72%) and Republicans (44%) is over rising property insurance premiums.
The public is closely divided whether oil and gas companies should be held legally responsible for the costs of natural disasters associated with climate change.
Three quarters of Democrats say oil and gas companies should be held responsible for these costs while the same number of Republicans say they should not. Independents are evenly split on the issue.
Adults ages 18 to 44 are more likely than older adults to believe that oil and gas companies should be held liable.
In general, 7 in 10 adults believe climate change is happening. Nearly all Democrats believe climate change is happening compared with half of Republicans.
College graduates are more likely than those without a college degree to believe that climate change is happening.
Of those who believe climate change is happening, 6 in 10 think it is caused mostly or entirely by human activity while 3 in 10 believe both human activity and natural changes in the environment are equally to blame. Few say it is caused mostly or entirely by natural changes.
Democrats are more likely than independents or Republicans to say climate change is caused at least mostly by humans.
The nationwide poll was conducted February 6-10, 2025 using the AmeriSpeak® Panel, the probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. Online and telephone interviews using landlines and cell phones were conducted with 1,112 adults. The overall margin of sampling error is +/- 4.1 percentage points.
- Suggested Citation: AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. “Half the public has been personally affected by extreme cold spells or heat waves within the past five years” (February 2025). https://apnorc.org/projects/half-the-public-has-been-personally-affected-by-extreme-cold-spells-or-heat-waves-within-the-past-five-years/
