Harker Heights, TX: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Harker Heights is Category A. Lowest seismic design category. Building code requires no seismic-specific detailing here beyond ordinary construction practice. Rank it against the rest of the country and Harker Heights sits at the 9th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Harker Heights by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Harker Heights: 0.027g peak ground acceleration, 0.057g at short period, 0.038g at 1 second. Within Texas alone, Harker Heights ranks 293 of 384 cities by seismic hazard - the 24th percentile in-state. Harker Heights has a population of about 35,263.

Retrofit economics for Harker Heights

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 Texas 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 Texas.

What this means for insurance

A Harker Heights 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 Harker Heights's figures come from

Harker Heights's Category A 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 A does and doesn't tell you about Harker Heights.