Freeport's Seismic Design Category, explained

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Freeport in Seismic Design 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 Freeport sits at the 61th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Freeport compares

USGS's underlying values for Freeport: 0.148g peak ground acceleration, 0.248g at short period, 0.055g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Freeport ranks 74 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 57th percentile in-state. Freeport has a population of about 44,028.

Retrofit economics for Freeport

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 York 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 York.

Earthquake insurance for a Freeport home

A Freeport 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 Freeport's figures come from

Freeport'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 Freeport.