Las Vegas's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Las Vegas is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts Las Vegas in the 59th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 59% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

Where Las Vegas sits in New Mexico

USGS's underlying values for Las Vegas: 0.113g peak ground acceleration, 0.249g at short period, 0.081g at 1 second. Within New Mexico alone, Las Vegas ranks 19 of 35 cities by seismic hazard - the 47th percentile in-state. Las Vegas has a population of about 12,711.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

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 Mexico 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 Mexico.

What this means for insurance

A Las Vegas 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 Las Vegas's figures come from

Las Vegas'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 Las Vegas.