Jefferson Hills, PA: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Jefferson Hills 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 Jefferson Hills sits at the 23th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where Jefferson Hills sits in Pennsylvania

USGS's underlying values for Jefferson Hills: 0.042g peak ground acceleration, 0.089g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, Jefferson Hills ranks 145 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 25th percentile in-state. Jefferson Hills has a population of about 12,291.

Retrofit economics for Jefferson Hills

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Jefferson Hills 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 Jefferson Hills's figures come from

Jefferson Hills'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 Jefferson Hills.