Lawrence, NY: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Lawrence 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 Lawrence sits at the 62th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Lawrence compares

USGS's underlying values for Lawrence: 0.156g peak ground acceleration, 0.259g at short period, 0.056g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Lawrence ranks 65 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 62th percentile in-state. Lawrence has a population of about 6,807.

Retrofit economics for Lawrence

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.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Lawrence 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 Lawrence's figures come from

Lawrence'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 Lawrence.