A recent study published in the journal Nature Cities reveals a concerning trend: America's largest cities are slowly sinking—some faster than others. This phenomenon, called land subsidence, affects both coastal cities like New York and San Francisco, as well as inland areas such as Dallas and Denver.
Researchers analysed high-resolution satellite data from 28 cities, each with populations exceeding 600,000. They discovered that significant portions of these urban areas are sinking at rates ranging from 2 to 10 millimetres (about 1/10 to nearly half an inch) per year. In fact, around 34 million Americans currently live in sinking areas.
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New York is among the sinking cities - (Image Credit: f11photo via Shutterstock / HDR tune by Universal-Sci)
What's causing the silent sinking beneath our feet?
The primary culprit, according to the study, is groundwater extraction. When water is pumped from underground aquifers faster than it is replenished, the spaces left behind collapse, causing the ground above to sink gradually. This problem is particularly severe in Texas cities like Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth, where land is sinking up to 10 millimeters annually, with some localized areas descending even faster.
But groundwater isn't the only cause. In Texas, the extraction of oil and gas is adding to the problem, while natural geological processes, like the settling of land following the retreat of ice sheets thousands of years ago, affect cities such as Chicago, Nashville, and Portland.
Uneven sinking—why some neighborhoods are at greater risk
A particularly concerning finding of the research is "differential motion"—where neighbouring areas of a city sink at different rates or even move in opposite directions. This uneven sinking is potentially dangerous because it puts stress on buildings, roads, and bridges, causing them to tilt, crack, or become structurally compromised.
Cities like San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, and Memphis are identified as having the highest risk of structural damage due to these uneven movements. In San Antonio alone, approximately one in every 45 buildings may be vulnerable.
All U.S. cities with populations over 600,000 are experiencing some degree of land subsidence. - (Image Credit: Adapted from Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities, 2025)
Preparing our cities for a sinking future
This quiet crisis requires action, researchers emphasize. Cities can manage groundwater more sustainably, enforce building codes designed to handle subsidence, and develop infrastructure that can adapt to shifting land conditions. Innovative solutions include improving drainage systems, creating artificial wetlands, and proactively raising land in flood-prone areas.
Leonard Ohenhen, the study’s lead author, stated that rather than simply identifying the problem, we must act to mitigate and adapt. The solutions to this problem exist—we just need to implement them.
If you are interested in more details about the underlying research, be sure to check out the paper published in the peer-reviewed science journal Nature Cities, listed below.
Sources, further reading and more interesting articles on the subject of cities:
Quantifying Land Subsidence Impacts in US Metropolises - (Nature Cities)
Explainer: why are cities warmer than the countryside? - (Universal-Sci)
Invisible Threat: How Traffic-Related Air Pollution May Influence the Onset of Alzheimer's - (Universal-Sci)
Why living in a green neighbourhood is good for your heart - (Universal-Sci)
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