What tornado is the costliest in U.S. history (adjusted for inflation)?

The 2011 Joplin tornado is the costliest tornado in U.S. history, with damage estimated at about $2.8 billion at the time.

The EF5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011, during the late afternoon. It began west of the city and intensified rapidly as it crossed heavily developed neighborhoods, hospitals, businesses, and major infrastructure. The storm remained on the ground for about 21.6 miles and lasted roughly 38 minutes.

Its financial impact was unusually high because the tornado passed through a densely populated urban area. It destroyed more than 4,000 homes and damaged nearly 8,000 buildings. When the original loss estimate is converted to later dollars, the total is commonly reported at well over $3 billion, depending on the inflation year and calculation method.

The 2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado is sometimes confused with Joplin because it also caused billions of dollars in damage. However, Joplin remains the standard answer for the costliest single U.S. tornado, while broader rankings can vary if they adjust for population, wealth, or regional development.