The following is a list of the costliest tornadoes in the Americas including Canada and the United States. It includes all tornadoes that, when damage totals are adjusted for inflation, have cost at least $100 million in damages (in 2024 dollars).
As of September 18, 2024, there are 165 entries on this list with several of those entries including multiple tornadoes. This is dependent on how damages are assessed by certain agencies as well as the significance of certain events (e.g. 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak when seven tornadoes struck the city of Grand Island, Nebraska in the same night; and the Dunrobin—Ottawa, Ontario—Gatineau, Quebec, Canada tornadoes in 2018 — of which there were seven — since monetary damages in Canada are often reported by province and not by individual tornado).
Analysis
Besides being one of the deadliest tornadoes on record in the Americas, the 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado is also the costliest; when adjusted for inflation and changes in wealth, it resulted in nearly $5.9 billion in damages. When adjusted for inflation, a total of thirteen (13) tornadoes/events have (each) caused in excess of $1 billion in damages; a total of thirty-two (32) tornadoes/events have (each) caused in excess of $500 million in damages; and a total of sixty-seven (67) tornadoes/events have caused in excess of $250 million in damages.
List of costliest tornadoes
Affected Communities YearMonth & Day Original Cost Adjusted Cost [USD] (March 1, 2024) F or EF References & Notes Joplin—Duquesne, Missouri 2011 $2,800,000,000 $3,839,119,050 EF5 2011 Joplin tornado Tuscaloosa—Holt—Alberta City—Concord—Pleasant Grove—Birmingham (Pratt City)—Fultondale, Alabama 2011 $2,450,000,000 $3,359,229,169 EF4 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado Newcastle—Moore, Oklahoma 2013 $2,000,000,000 $2,647,844,881 EF5 2013 Moore tornado Nashville—Mount Juliet, Tennessee 2020 $1,504,000,000 $1,906,665,207 EF3 2020 Nashville tornado, (Grazulis 2023, p. 590) Damage estimates range from $1.5 - $1.6 billion North Dallas—Richardson, Texas 2019 $1,550,000,000 $1,869,870,237 EF3 2019 North Dallas tornado Bridge Creek—Moore, Oklahoma 1999 $1,000,000,000 $1,851,242,497 F5 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore tornado Poquonock/Windsor Locks, Connecticut—Feeding Hills, Massachusetts 1979 $420,000,000 $1,784,230,579 F4 Windsor Locks tornado Grazulis reported that damages totaled $214,000,000 or $909,107,961, adjusted. (Grazulis, p. 1,216) Hackleburg—Phil Campbell—Tanner—Harvest—Athens, Alabama 2011 $1,290,000,000 $1,768,736,991 EF5 2011 Hackleburg-Phil Campbell tornado Wichita Falls, Texas 1979 $400,000,000 $1,699,267,217 F4 1979 Wichita Falls tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,209)Richmond Heights-Clayton-St. Louis, Missouri-Granite City-Pontoon Beach-Edwardsville, Illinois2025$1,600,000,000$1,557,789,865EF32025 St. Louis tornado Omaha, Nebraska 1975 $250,000,000 $1,433,164,498 F4 1975 Omaha tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,174) (Total damages may have been greater than this.) East Peoria—Washington—Long Point, Illinois 2013 $935,000,000 $1,237,867,482 EF4 2013 Washington, Illinois tornado Grand Island, Nebraska 1980 $300,000,000 $1,122,877,427 F4 (max) 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak: "The Night of the Twisters"
This includes all seven tornadoes. (Grazulis, p. 1,223) Lubbock, Texas 1970 $135,000,000 $2,199,201,632 F5 Lubbock tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,113) Topeka, Kansas 1966 $100,000,000 $2,298,062,133 F5 Tornado outbreak sequence of June 1966, (Grazulis, p. 1,081) (Total damages may have been greater than this.) St. Louis, Missouri 1927 $53,000,000 $3,655,074,146 F3 Tornado outbreak of September 29, 1927, (Grazulis, p. 814)Atlanta, Georgia 2008$500,000,000$766,856,476EF22008 Atlanta, Georgia tornado Grand Island, Nebraska (#5) 1980 $200,000,000 $748,584,951 F4 1980 Grand Island tornado outbreak: This was the strongest and costliest of the seven tornadoes that touched down on "The Night of the Twisters" Jackson, Mississippi 1966 $75,500,000 $718,687,762 F5 1966 Jackson, Mississippi tornado Fort Worth, Texas 2000 $400,000,000 $716,415,796 F3 2000 Fort Worth tornado outbreak Andover—Wichita, Kansas 1991 $300,000,000 $679,332,599 F5 1991 Andover tornado Xenia, Ohio 1974 $107,500,000 $672,511,714 F5 1974 Xenia tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,154) Monticello, Indiana (tornado family) 1974 $100,000,000 $625,592,292 F4 List of tornadoes in the 1974 Super Outbreak (Total damages may have been greater than this.) Conyers, Stockbridge, Georgia 1973 $90,000,000 $625,169,594 F4 (Grazulis, p. 1,135) Moore—Oklahoma City—Choctaw, Oklahoma 2003 $370,500,000 $621,024,448 F3 Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2003 Brookville—Trotwood—Dayton—Riverside, Ohio 2019 $500,000,000 $603,183,947 EF4 2019 Dayton tornado Petersham—Barre—Rutland—Holden—Worcester—Shrewsbury—Westborough—Southborough, Massachusetts 1953 $52,193,000 $2,319,210,704 F4+ 1953 Worcester tornado (includes crop damage of ~$50,000) Fort Smith—Van Buren, Arkansas 1996 $300,000,000 $589,707,456 F3 Tornado outbreak sequence of April 1996Edmonton, Alberta, Canada1987CA$332,270,000$572,485,510F4Edmonton tornado CA$770,565,549, adjusted
(average exchange rate for 2024, CA$1 = US$0.742942) Conestogo Lake—Fergus—Tavistock, Ontario, Canada 2005 CA$500,000,000 $551,433,463 F2-F1 Southern Ontario tornado outbreak of 2005 CA$742,229,492, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.)
(average exchange rate for 2024, CA$1 = US$0.742942) Oak Leaf—Lancaster—Dallas, Texas 2012 $400,000,000 $537,325,888 EF2 Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012 Tallulah, Louisiana—Yazoo City/Durant, Mississippi 2010 $409,555,000 $589,173,874 EF4 2010 Yazoo City tornado Grazulis reported $400 million (or $565,757,420, adjusted) in damages. (Grazulis 2023, p. 438) Little Rock–North Little Rock, Arkansas 2023 >$489,000,000 $502,940,000 EF3 2023 Little Rock tornado Margaret/Ragland/Shoal Creek Valley/Ohatchee/Piedmont, Alabama—Cave Spring/Kingston, Georgia 2011 $366,755,000 $502,862,895 EF4 2011 Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado Fayetteville, Tennessee 1952 $43,000,000 $500,450,226 F3 Tornado outbreak of Leap Day 1952, (Grazulis, p. 962) Golden Valley—Mounds View—Centerville, Minnesota 1965 $51,000,000 $499,341,810 F4 Early May 1965 tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,074) Altus—Altus AFB, Oklahoma 1982 $150,000,000 $479,404,663 F3 Grazulis reported $200 million in damages including hail, estimated $150 million from the tornado alone (Grazulis, p. 1,239) Waco, Texas 1953 $41,150,000 $1,826,623,536 F5 1953 Waco tornado outbreak Shreveport—Bossier City, Louisiana 1978 $100,000,000 $473,032,209 F4 1978 Bossier City tornado outbreak (Total damages may have been greater than this.) Enterprise, Alabama 2007 $307,000,000 $456,656,244 EF4 Tornado outbreak of February 28 – March 2, 2007 Albany—Ashburn—Rochelle, Georgia 2017 $310,000,000 $390,050,873 EF3 Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017 Plainfield, Illinois 1990 $165,000,000 $389,355,815 F5 1990 Plainfield tornado Birmingham, Alabama 1998 $202,830,000 $383,780,491 F5 1998 Oak Grove–Birmingham tornado Oak Lawn—Evergreen Park—Chicago Illinois 1967 $40,000,000 $369,361,677 F4 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak (Total damages may have been greater than this.) St. Louis—East St. Louis, Illinois 1896 $10,000,000 $5,922,975,990 F4 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornadoJonesboro, Arkansas2020$300,000,000$357,499,726EF32020 Jonesboro tornado (Grazulis 2023, p. 590) St. Louis, Missouri—Granite City, Illinois 2011 $250,000,000 $342,778,487 EF4 2011 St. Louis tornado Atlanta, Georgia 1975 $56,500,000 $323,895,177 F3 "The Governor's Tornado" as it caused damage to the Governor's mansion among many other buildings (Grazulis, p. 1,173) Haysville—McConnell AFB—Andover, Kansas 2012 $238,000,000 $319,708,904 EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 13–16, 2012 (Grazulis 2023, p. 495) Other reports claim upwards of $500 million in damage, but this was proven inaccurate. Carterville—Crainville—Marion, Illinois 1982 $100,000,000 $319,603,109 F4 Marion, Illinois, tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,242) Salt Lake City, Utah 1999 $170,000,000 $314,711,224 F2 1999 Salt Lake City tornado Orland, Indiana—East Gilead/Reading/Hillsdale/Manitou Beach, Michigan (two tornadoes) 1965 $32,000,000 $313,312,508 F4 List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak Westfield—West Springfield—Springfield—Wilbraham—Monson—Brimfield—Sturbridge—Southbridge—Charlton, Massachusetts 2011 $227,600,000 $312,065,534 EF3 2011 Springfield tornado Augusta—Tupelo—Otwell—Jonesboro, Arkansas 1973 $44,110,000 $306,402,565 F4 (Total damages may have been greater than this.) Grazulis reported $37 million in damages or $257,014,167, adjusted (Grazulis, p. 1,141) Hamden—North Haven, Connecticut 1989 $120,000,000 $298,468,065 F4 July 1989 Northeastern United States tornado outbreak Brownsville—Monroe, Louisiana 2020 $250,000,000 $297,916,439 EF32020 Monroe tornado, Woodstock, Stratford, Ontario, Canada 1979 CA$100,000,000 $295,070,920 F4 1979 Woodstock, Ontario, tornado CA$397,165,486, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.) (average exchange rate for 2024, CA$1 = US$0.742942) Mayflower, Vilonia, Arkansas 2014 $223,450,000 $291,108,149 EF4 2014 Mayflower–Vilonia tornado Ellington, Missouri-Murphysboro/De Soto, Illinois-Griffin, Indiana/Princeton, Indiana 1925 $16,500,000 $2,922,730,672 F5 1925 Tri-State tornado, (Grazulis, p. 796) Vicksburg, Mississippi 1953 $25,000,000 $288,779,963 F5 1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi, tornado Gainesville, Georgia 1936 $13,000,000 $288,447,554 F4 1936 Tupelo–Gainesville tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 866) Barrie, Ontario, Canada 1985 CA$150,000,000 $281,014,346 F4 1985 Barrie tornado: CA$378,245,335, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this)
(average exchange rate for 2024, CA$1 = US$0.742942) Charles City, Iowa 1968 $31,500,000 $279,170,560 F5 1968 Charles City tornado, (Grazulis, p. 1,097) Indianapolis 2002 $156,000,000 $269,190,000 F3 2002 Indianapolis tornado Kennedale—Arlington, Texas 2012 $200,000,000 $268,662,944 EF2 Tornado outbreak of April 3, 2012 Haysville—South Wichita, Kansas 1999 $145,000,000 $268,430,162 F4 1999 Haysville–Wichita tornado Wildwood—Colfax, Wisconsin 1958 $25,000,000 $266,796,713 F5 Tornado outbreak of June 3–4, 1958 Wilber—Hallam—Norris School District 160—Holland, Nebraska 2004 $160,220,000 $261,591,169 F4 2004 Hallam tornado The second-widest tornado on record (~2.5 miles) almost completely destroyed the small town of Hallam. Dunrobin—Ottawa, Ontario—Gatineau, Quebec, Canada 2018 CA$294,000,000 $260,046,596 EF3 max 2018 United States-Canada tornado outbreak: CA$350,022,742, adjusted (Total damages may have been greater than this.)
(average exchange rate for 2024, CA$1 = US$0.742942)
This includes all seven tornadoes from this event as damages (per event/outbreak) are reported by province, not individual tornado.
Damages in Ontario were CA$192 million+, and damages in Quebec were CA$102 million+. Yale—Tulsa, Oklahoma 1981 $75,000,000 $254,469,472 F3 (Grazulis, p. 1,229) Huntsville, Alabama 1989 $100,000,000 $248,723,387 F4 November 1989 tornado outbreak Falmouth/Berlin/Bladeston/Chatham/Dover, Kentucky—Decatur/Otway, Ohio 1968 $27,775,000 $246,157,534 F4 Tornado outbreak of April 21–24, 1968 (Total damages were estimated.)Marshalltown, Iowa2018$200,000,000$245,525,614EF3Iowa tornado outbreak of July 2018 (Grazulis 2023, p. 569) Toledo, Ohio—Lost Peninsula (Michigan) 1965 $25,000,000 $244,775,397 F4 List of tornadoes in the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak, (Grazulis, p. 1,071) Sanford—Raleigh, North Carolina 2011 $172,000,000 $235,831,599 EF3 Tornado outbreak of April 14–16, 2011