Huntsville, TX: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Huntsville is 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 Huntsville sits at the 18th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where Huntsville sits in Texas

USGS's underlying values for Huntsville: 0.035g peak ground acceleration, 0.073g at short period, 0.044g at 1 second. Within Texas alone, Huntsville ranks 189 of 384 cities by seismic hazard - the 51th percentile in-state. Huntsville has a population of about 49,500.

What a retrofit costs in Huntsville

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.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Huntsville 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 Huntsville's figures come from

Huntsville'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 Huntsville.