Disaster Resistant Real Estate Locations

It seems like nearly every time I turn on the news there is another breaking story about some natural disaster that has struck again, destroying cities, towns, houses, people. Looking to relocate to a place off the natural disaster map? Jason Notte of TheStreet has compiled a list of 5 disaster-resistant real-estate locations on MSN.com.

Although you are susceptible to natural disasters at every point on this earth, there are places that are not located in exposed wind patterns or popular fault lines are less likely to see any type of natural disaster. So these 5 locations are not only beautiful, but safe!

1. Palau- You may recognize this name from the show Survivor. Dwindling agriculture, rising seawater and worrisome waste-removal efforts are more of a concern than disasters. Real estate however is scarce and comes at a premium.

2. Marshall Islands- The good news is that the Marshall Islands have declared fewer than 10 major disasters in the past five decades. The bad news, the islands were a nuclear test site and residual radioactivity remains on islands including Bikini Atoll where locals mark each March 2 as Nuclear Victims Day. Real estate can be hard to find without visiting first, so disaster dodgers should stay at the local Marshall Islands Resort in Majuro while house hunting.

3. Rhode Island- RI has only declared 5 disasters in the past quarter-century. Yes, they have experienced some heavy snow and flooding in the past few years but in comparison to its neighboring New England states, it is less prone to disasters. There are several different real estate options ranging from the low $100,000 to the millions.

4. Utah- UT has declared only 7 major disasters in 57 years and none within the past five years. Of those, the overwhelming majority of Utah's disasters stem from severe storms and ensuing floods, so heading to the high country may be a disaster-conscious newcomer's best bet.

5. Wyoming- Want to live tax-free, but don't want to deal with hurricanes? Welcome to Wyoming, where individual and corporate taxes are as nonexistent as oceans and gulf currents. With only 8 major disasters declared since FEMA started keeping tabs back in 1953, the least-populous state takes calamities including floods, tornadoes and winter storms in stride.

So whether you are looking for the ocean and beaches or the mountains and desert, there is a disaster-free place waiting for you!