More American families are buying $50,000 nuclear bunkers ‘than ever before’ out of fear of WWIII

American families are buying $50,000 worth of nuclear bunkers amid rising tensions between the US and Russia that could spark World War III.

An installer of these shelters told DailyMail.com that ‘this last year in particular has certainly been busier than any other year.’

Todd Stump, owner of the Ohio-based USA Bunker Company, has sold hundreds of bunkers from as far east as Pennsylvania to as far west as California.

The ready-to-live-in and luxury bunkers come with all the comforts of home, such as kitchens and bedrooms, and some even have artificial windows that give the feeling of being above ground.

The prefabricated bunkers are made of quarter-inch steel plates, while custom shelters are designed with reinforced concrete and heavy insulated walls, ranging from 8 feet by 20 feet to 1,000 square feet or more.

The bunkers are built to survive anything from “severe weather or any man-made disaster, all the way to nuclear warfare, terrorist attacks, chemical or biological attacks,” Stump said.

“A lot of people are worried about the way things are going in the world, and they just want the peace of mind of knowing that if something happens, they have an option so they don’t have to worry about anything anymore,” he says . added.

America is home to the “prepper” community; according to recent research, the number of people who are part of this survivalist movement has doubled to 20 million since 2017.

Demand for bunkers has skyrocketed since the COVID pandemic (USA Bunker Company)

While most focus on stocking their homes or fortifying their basements, those with disposable wealth are turning to investing in bunkers, often in old military facilities.

However, Stump designed its shelters for the middle class, because they also need protection during a nuclear attack on American soil.

He has been building bunkers since 2012 and said he noticed demand started to skyrocket after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The momentum has continued to grow amid global tensions and the war in Ukraine.

He said people’s demands are often the same: ‘They want to be able to filter out any chemical, biological or radiation particles from the air, and something that people can’t break into. They want that specific protection.

Some customers hope to spend several months underground in the event of a disaster.

“They want to be able to spend days, weeks, even months at the shelter and have all the comforts of home and things to keep you safe and alive,” Stump said.

Stump said his company handles everything from construction permits to shipping and installation for his clients, personally visiting sites to ensure everything is planned correctly and runs smoothly.

Many families want the comforts of home even after the apocalypse begins (USA Bunker Company)

Explosion-proof doors help families anticipate the worst (USA Bunker Company(

Basic installations start at $50,000, but custom models can cost up to $500,000 (USA Bunker Company)

He started the company after deciding to buy his own bunker and discovering that the two or three other American bunker companies did not meet his expectations.

“It led me down a rabbit hole of underground bunkers,” he said. “No company out there had any experience in emergency preparedness, disaster preparedness, you know, security or threat management,” Stump said.

“I’ve decided that I’m just going to start my own business and build my own because I don’t want to put my safety in their hands if they don’t have experience with it.

“Me, who has five years in the military, with combat experience, and fifteen years in law enforcement.”

With demand soaring, Stump says he is targeting a new luxury market next year, with premium concrete bunkers built to order.

Stump says: ‘We have quite a few contracts that we will start in the spring of 2025. A very different style of bunkers and luxury in the neighborhood of $500,000.”