Does Franklin Lakes, NJ need an earthquake retrofit?

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Franklin Lakes is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts Franklin Lakes in the 64th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 64% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

How Franklin Lakes compares

USGS's underlying values for Franklin Lakes: 0.177g peak ground acceleration, 0.287g at short period, 0.06g at 1 second. Within New Jersey alone, Franklin Lakes ranks 67 of 194 cities by seismic hazard - the 66th percentile in-state. Franklin Lakes has a population of about 11,251.

What a retrofit costs in Franklin Lakes

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 Jersey 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 Jersey.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Franklin Lakes 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 Franklin Lakes's figures come from

Franklin Lakes'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 Franklin Lakes.