Fairfax's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Fairfax is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Rank it against the rest of the country and Fairfax sits at the 47th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Fairfax by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Fairfax: 0.072g peak ground acceleration, 0.138g at short period, 0.044g at 1 second. Within Virginia alone, Fairfax ranks 38 of 63 cities by seismic hazard - the 40th percentile in-state. Fairfax has a population of about 26,340.

What a retrofit costs in Fairfax

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 Virginia 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 Virginia.

Earthquake insurance for a Fairfax home

A Fairfax 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 Fairfax's figures come from

Fairfax'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 Fairfax.