Baltimore's Seismic Design Category, explained

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Baltimore in Seismic Design Category B: Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Baltimore ranks above 48% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 48th percentile.

Where Baltimore sits in Maryland

USGS's underlying values for Baltimore: 0.074g peak ground acceleration, 0.141g at short period, 0.043g at 1 second. Within Maryland alone, Baltimore ranks 8 of 46 cities by seismic hazard - the 84th percentile in-state. Baltimore has a population of about 568,271.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

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 Maryland 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 Maryland.

Earthquake insurance for a Baltimore home

A Baltimore 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 Baltimore's figures come from

Baltimore'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 Baltimore.