Denver's Seismic Design Category, explained

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Denver in Seismic Design Category B: Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Denver ranks above 58% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 58th percentile.

Where Denver sits in Colorado

USGS's underlying values for Denver: 0.108g peak ground acceleration, 0.199g at short period, 0.056g at 1 second. Within Colorado alone, Denver ranks 48 of 79 cities by seismic hazard - the 40th percentile in-state. Denver has a population of about 729,019.

Retrofit economics for Denver

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 Colorado 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 Colorado.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Denver 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 Denver's figures come from

Denver'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 Denver.