I don't know how it was in Florida after the 2004 season, but here it is indescribable. The physical scars are going away, but the emotional ones are still here.
There is no comparison.
Charley was the strongest storm, but had a very narrow windfield. If my memory is correct, the worst devestation was only 9 miles wide. I am not sure how far inland the damage went. But the number of homeless people was a fraction of what NO has. Frances and Jean, which I went through, destroyed many homes but not neighboorhoods. (Well, some mobile home communities got nailed) I have two friend that had homes that were totally destroyed. But they had insurance for that. Also, the South Florida area is better off economically that much of New Orleans. There is a lot of money down here that doesn't require any supporting industry. Social Security and people living off investments. That money doesn't stop. We also didn't have anything like the massive flooding. On the east coast, the storm surge doesn't go inland for miles. (The keys can and do get submerged.) Actually, I can't imaging a storm surge going in more than a half of a mile with out being "helped" by an inland waterway. But, I could be wrong. Also, Floridians have been told over and over to prepare for a hurricane, building codes have been adapted for hurricanes and the insurance industry (supposedly) understands how to react to a hurricane.