An Intersectional Analysis of Climate Risk and Susceptibility among Urban Schools Across 20 Major U.S. Cities

U.S. schools are increasingly threatened by climate-related events such as extreme heat and air pollution, which adversely affect children’s health and learning. Climate risks do not occur in isolation. Adverse exposures intersect with local school socioeconomic and physical conditions that shape susceptibility to risks. Yet, research on how climate risks intersect with school social and physical factors influencing susceptibility remains limited. This study assesses relationships between climate risk and school susceptibility factors across major U.S. Cities and pinpoints school clusters within cities most in need of climate intervention. We analyzed 4,754 public school parcels in 20 major U.S. cities using climate risk and susceptibility indices. Climate risk was defined by PM2.5, ozone levels, and extreme heat days (Heat Index>102°F). School susceptibility included poverty rates (free/reduced lunch), impervious surface cover, and inverse greenspace availability (trees, grass, shrub) based on 1m land-use classifications. Spatial lag regression assessed risk–susceptibility associations, and HDBSCAN clustering identified school clusters with convergence of high risk and high susceptibility within cities. Risk–susceptibility relationships varied by city. Significant positive associations were found in Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, New York, and Riverside (.007 < β < .105). These school districts serve nearly 5% of U.S. public-school students. HDBSCAN identified 582 schools with both high climate risk and high susceptibility. Climate vulnerability among U.S. urban schools is spatially uneven. Identifying schools with the highest combined risk and susceptibility provides a foundation for targeted interventions such as greening and HVAC upgrades to support resilience and protect student wellbeing.