Auburn, AL: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Auburn is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Rank it against the rest of the country and Auburn sits at the 40th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Auburn by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Auburn: 0.063g peak ground acceleration, 0.131g at short period, 0.075g at 1 second. Within Alabama alone, Auburn ranks 75 of 107 cities by seismic hazard - the 30th percentile in-state. Auburn has a population of about 83,757.

What a retrofit costs in Auburn

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 Alabama 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 Alabama.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Auburn 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 Auburn's figures come from

Auburn'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 Auburn.