Major cities across the united states are facing a troubling reality: urban land is slowly sinking. A recent satellite radar study reveals that all 28 of the nation’s most populous cities are experiencing varying degrees of subsidence, primarily due to urbanization, drought, and rising sea levels. As of 2025-05-08 13:02:00, at least 20 percent of the urban land in each city analyzed has sunk somewhat between 2015 and 2021.
- Major US cities are experiencing land subsidence.
- At least 20% of urban land is sinking.
- Houston is the fastest-sinking US city.
- Groundwater extraction exacerbates subsidence issues.
- Infrastructure damage risks are significant.
- Solutions vary by city and geography.
Alarmingly, in 25 of these cities, over 65 percent of the land is sinking. This phenomenon affects nearly 34 million residents, or about 12 percent of the U.S. population. While immediate collapse isn’t imminent, these Trends raise significant concerns about infrastructure stability and flooding risks.
This raises an important question: how can cities mitigate the risks associated with subsidence? Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach, including:
- Reducing groundwater extraction to slow sinking rates.
- Implementing improved drainage systems in flood-prone areas.
- Retrofitting infrastructure to withstand uneven land movement.
- Enhancing coastal protections against rising sea levels.
As urban centers continue to grow, proactive measures are essential. Cities must prioritize resilience planning to safeguard their infrastructure and communities against the ongoing threat of subsidence.
