Does Kenmore, NY need an earthquake retrofit?

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Kenmore 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 Kenmore sits at the 54th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Kenmore by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Kenmore: 0.091g peak ground acceleration, 0.164g at short period, 0.044g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Kenmore ranks 128 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 25th percentile in-state. Kenmore has a population of about 14,936.

Retrofit economics for Kenmore

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 New York 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 New York.

Earthquake insurance for a Kenmore home

A Kenmore 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 Kenmore's figures come from

Kenmore'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 Kenmore.