Colonie, NY: what USGS's seismic model says

Colonie carries Seismic Design Category B under USGS's ASCE 7-16 model. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Colonie ranks above 58% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 58th percentile.

How Colonie compares

USGS's underlying values for Colonie: 0.111g peak ground acceleration, 0.205g at short period, 0.061g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Colonie ranks 98 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 43th percentile in-state. Colonie has a population of about 7,691.

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 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.

What this means for insurance

A Colonie 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 Colonie's figures come from

Colonie'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 Colonie.