A Comparative Assessment of Impacts and Recovery from Hurricane Floyd among Student and Non- Student Households

This research capitalizes on a unique opportunity to undertake a comparative assessment of the social and economic impacts of Floyd-related flooding on two distinct populations in one of the region’s most severely affected counties. Using survey evidence on university students (N=852) and nonstudent households (N=309), we examine differential campus and community impacts of Floyd-related flooding on a range of self-reported indicators including evacuation experience and costs, forced relocation, extent of property damages, financial losses, and patterns in postdisaster recovery. We find students were less detrimentally affected than community residents even when they live off-campus, and they had greater recovery assistance. In addition, race, gender, and parenthood had different effects in the community than among the student population. Our results suggest that students occupy a unique position within university communities which buffers them from the effects of natural hazards.