Does Henderson, TX need an earthquake retrofit?

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Henderson 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 Henderson sits at the 28th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Henderson by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Henderson: 0.047g peak ground acceleration, 0.097g at short period, 0.06g at 1 second. Within Texas alone, Henderson ranks 114 of 384 cities by seismic hazard - the 70th percentile in-state. Henderson has a population of about 13,485.

Retrofit economics for Henderson

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.

Earthquake insurance for a Henderson home

A Henderson 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 Henderson's figures come from

Henderson'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 Henderson.