Des Moines's Seismic Design Category, explained

Des Moines 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, Des Moines ranks above 17% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 17th percentile.

Des Moines by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Des Moines: 0.03g peak ground acceleration, 0.062g at short period, 0.052g at 1 second. Within Iowa alone, Des Moines ranks 39 of 85 cities by seismic hazard - the 55th percentile in-state. Des Moines has a population of about 213,096.

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 Iowa 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 Iowa.

Earthquake insurance for a Des Moines home

A Des Moines 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 Des Moines's figures come from

Des Moines'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 Des Moines.