Harvey, IL: what USGS's seismic model says

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Harvey 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 Harvey sits at the 39th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Harvey compares

USGS's underlying values for Harvey: 0.062g peak ground acceleration, 0.124g at short period, 0.067g at 1 second. Within Illinois alone, Harvey ranks 201 of 330 cities by seismic hazard - the 39th percentile in-state. Harvey has a population of about 19,781.

What a retrofit costs in Harvey

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 Illinois 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 Illinois.

Earthquake insurance for a Harvey home

A Harvey 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 Harvey's figures come from

Harvey'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 Harvey.