The U.S. Cities That Theoretically Could Face the Highest Risk in a Nuclear Emergency

Major U.S. Metropolitan Areas Would Be Primary Targets

In the event of a nuclear conflict involving Russia, several major American cities are at significant risk of being targeted. New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. would likely be among the first locations struck by Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. These metropolitan areas house crucial government infrastructure, financial centers, and dense populations that make them strategic and devastating targets for the Russians. A map created using Federal Emergency Management Agency data and National Resources Defense Council information identifies these cities as probable first-strike locations. The map, originally compiled by journalist John Dodge in 2015 and reevaluated by The Independent in 2023, shows disturbing patterns of vulnerability across the nation.