While the threat of nuclear war has subsided mostly since the end of the Cold War, many countries still possess the weapons. These are highly potent weapons, meant for leveling cities with utter ease. So, with that in mind, let’s see how some major American cities fare against a nuclear bomb.
Is There a Threat of Nuclear War?
Never say never, especially with the way geopolitics are going these days. However, one thing to keep in mind is that countries rely heavily on trade with one another to exist in the modern era. Nuking your neighbors that you get steel from might not be a great idea.
Are the Capabilities of Nuclear Weapons Overstated?
No, not necessarily. There was limited nuclear testing throughout the latter half of the 20th century that showed how destructive these weapons can be. The largest ever detonated, the Tsar Bomba, defied expectations and ended up being far more powerful than intended.
Downtown, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
- Population: 2,510,211
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 69,890 deaths, 162,070 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 491,361 (20%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 194,060 deaths, 420,670 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.2 million (50%)
Downtown Orlando, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
- Population: 2,560,260
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 58,540 deaths, 138,270 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 435,029 (17%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 155,090 deaths, 391,120 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.1 million (45%)
Center City, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
- Population: 2,595,027
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 68,490 deaths, 108,490 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 347,989 (13%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 146,880 deaths, 279,030 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 852,169 (33%)
Historic District, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
- Population: 2,800,427
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 140,730 deaths, 247,980 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 739,488 (26%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 313,370 deaths, 522,010 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.5 million (54%)
Downtown, St. Louis, MO-IL
- Population: 2,806,349
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 63,050 deaths, 124,530 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 378,534 (13%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 159,820 deaths, 320,680 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 978,691 (35%)
Capitol Hill, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
- Population: 2,928,437
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 113,760 deaths, 209,240 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 627,216 (21%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 269,820 deaths, 540,620 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.7 million (56%)
Tampa Downtown, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
- Population: 3,152,928
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 55,960 deaths, 110,320 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 342,282 (11%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 138,770 deaths, 294,970 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 891,404 (28%)
Core, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Population: 3,323,970
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 88,100 deaths, 206,740 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 629,171 (19%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 250,540 deaths, 495,530 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.5 million (44%)
Downtown West, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
- Population: 3,605,450
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 145,590 deaths, 220,450 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 675,421 (19%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 288,030 deaths, 537,220 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.6 million (45%)
Downtown Seattle, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
- Population: 3,928,498
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 130,440 deaths, 181,260 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 560,743 (14%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 261,270 deaths, 420,810 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.3 million (34%)
Downtown Detroit, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- Population: 4,317,384
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 89,020 deaths, 181,160 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 549,298 (13%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 218,290 deaths, 489,470 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.5 million (34%)
Magnolia Center, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
- Population: 4,600,396
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 40,410 deaths, 115,390 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 344,217 (7%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 126,940 deaths, 354,960 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.1 million (24%)
Mission District, San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
- Population: 4,709,220
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 176,180 deaths, 392,400 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 985,716 (21%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 487,210 deaths, 534,470 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.6 million (33%)
Beacon Hill, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
- Population: 4,854,808
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 261,610 deaths, 424,160 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 1.2 million (25%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 569,630 deaths, 708,080 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 2.1 million (44%)
Central City, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
- Population: 4,860,338
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 66,930 deaths, 174,490 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 552,746 (11%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 193,210 deaths, 516,190 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.6 million (32%)
Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA
- Population: 5,947,008
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 102,380 deaths, 163,780 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 491,158 (8%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 218,450 deaths, 403,460 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.2 million (21%)
Center City, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
- Population: 6,092,403
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 241,270 deaths, 392,350 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 1.2 million (19%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 518,820 deaths, 836,230 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 2.5 million (41%)
Downtown Miami, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL
- Population: 6,129,858
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 91,260 deaths, 185,890 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 558,871 (9%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 227,670 deaths, 481,990 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.5 million (24%)
White House, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
- Population: 6,250,309
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 233,810 deaths, 383,110 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 1.1 million (18%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 510,110 deaths, 837,240 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 2.5 million (40%)
Downtown Houston, Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
- Population: 6,979,613
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 123,380 deaths, 228,280 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 723,217 (10%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 298,880 deaths, 619,920 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.9 million (27%)
Downtown Dallas, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
- Population: 7,451,858
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 87,590 deaths, 185,740 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 547,875 (7%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 220,500 deaths, 514,260 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 1.6 million (21%)
Chicago Loop, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
- Population: 9,478,801
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 324,080 deaths, 391,670 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 1.3 million (13%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 612,010 deaths, 951,550 injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 3.0 million (32%)
Financial District, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
- Population: 13,211,027
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 195,770 deaths, 510,880 injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 1.5 million (12%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 582,880 deaths, 1.5 million injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 4.4 million (33%)
Manhattan, Soho, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
- Population: 19,261,570
- Casualties from 100 kt detonation: 583,160 deaths, 1.3 million injuries
- Population within blast range of 102.3 sq. miles: 3.8 million (20%)
- Casualties from 800 kt detonation: 1.6 million deaths, 2.9 million injuries
- Population within blast range of 409.3 sq. miles: 8.6 million (45%)
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