Does Aurora, MO need an earthquake retrofit?

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Aurora is Category C. Moderate seismic hazard. Code adds irregular-building restrictions and requires bracing of some nonstructural components (e.g. tall shelving, water heaters) in addition to structural detailing. That puts Aurora in the 68th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 68% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

Where Aurora sits in Missouri

USGS's underlying values for Aurora: 0.081g peak ground acceleration, 0.169g at short period, 0.096g at 1 second. Within Missouri alone, Aurora ranks 87 of 135 cities by seismic hazard - the 36th percentile in-state. Aurora has a population of about 7,573.

Retrofit economics for Aurora

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 Missouri 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 Missouri.

What this means for insurance

A Aurora 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 Aurora's figures come from

Aurora's Category C 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 C does and doesn't tell you about Aurora.