In every city studied, at least 20% of the urban area is sinking – and in 25 of 28 cities, at least 65% is sinking. The nation's biggest cities are sinking, according to data from a new study.

While land sinking less than an inch per year might not seem like much on paper, small shifts in land can have big effects. Land shifts downward can impact the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges, and dams. A 2024 study found that regions of the Atlantic coast to be sinking by as much as five millimeters per year.