Archbald's Seismic Design Category, explained

Archbald carries Seismic Design Category B under USGS's ASCE 7-16 model. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Archbald ranks above 40% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 40th percentile.

Archbald by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Archbald: 0.064g peak ground acceleration, 0.127g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, Archbald ranks 84 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 57th percentile in-state. Archbald has a population of about 7,508.

Retrofit economics for Archbald

A full earthquake retrofit typically runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally (around $7,000 typical), driven mainly by house size and foundation type, not by Pennsylvania specifically. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant, which covers a large share of this cost, is a California-only program and does not apply in Pennsylvania.

Earthquake insurance for a Archbald home

A Archbald homeowner cannot buy a standalone earthquake policy in most cases - it is added to an existing homeowners policy as an endorsement, so the place to start is a regular home-insurance quote.

Where Archbald's figures come from

Archbald's Category B and every number above trace to USGS's own ASCE 7-16 Design Maps service - see the methodology guide. See the category explainer for what Category B does and doesn't tell you about Archbald.