Carencro, LA: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Carencro is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts Carencro in the 21th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 21% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

How Carencro compares

USGS's underlying values for Carencro: 0.041g peak ground acceleration, 0.084g at short period, 0.054g at 1 second. Within Louisiana alone, Carencro ranks 49 of 59 cities by seismic hazard - the 17th percentile in-state. Carencro has a population of about 12,883.

Retrofit economics for Carencro

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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana.

What this means for insurance

A Carencro 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 Carencro's figures come from

Carencro'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 Carencro.