Binghamton's Seismic Design Category, explained

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Binghamton in Seismic Design 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 Binghamton sits at the 34th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where Binghamton sits in New York

USGS's underlying values for Binghamton: 0.056g peak ground acceleration, 0.116g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Binghamton ranks 160 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 6th percentile in-state. Binghamton has a population of about 46,773.

Retrofit economics for Binghamton

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 New York 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 New York.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Binghamton 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 Binghamton's figures come from

Binghamton'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 Binghamton.