Dillon, SC: what USGS's seismic model says

Dillon carries Seismic Design Category C under USGS's ASCE 7-16 model. Moderate seismic hazard. Code adds irregular-building restrictions and requires bracing of some nonstructural components (e.g. tall shelving, water heaters) in addition to structural detailing. Rank it against the rest of the country and Dillon sits at the 73th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where Dillon sits in South Carolina

USGS's underlying values for Dillon: 0.133g peak ground acceleration, 0.253g at short period, 0.098g at 1 second. Within South Carolina alone, Dillon ranks 59 of 66 cities by seismic hazard - the 11th percentile in-state. Dillon has a population of about 6,244.

Retrofit economics for Dillon

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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina.

Earthquake insurance for a Dillon home

A Dillon 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 Dillon's figures come from

Dillon's Category C 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 C does and doesn't tell you about Dillon.