Leeds, AL: what USGS's seismic model says

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Leeds in Seismic Design Category C: Moderate seismic hazard. Code adds irregular-building restrictions and requires bracing of some nonstructural components (e.g. tall shelving, water heaters) in addition to structural detailing. Rank it against the rest of the country and Leeds sits at the 75th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where Leeds sits in Alabama

USGS's underlying values for Leeds: 0.163g peak ground acceleration, 0.282g at short period, 0.099g at 1 second. Within Alabama alone, Leeds ranks 31 of 107 cities by seismic hazard - the 72th percentile in-state. Leeds has a population of about 12,573.

What a retrofit costs in Leeds

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 Alabama 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 Alabama.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Leeds 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 Leeds's figures come from

Leeds's Category C 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 C does and doesn't tell you about Leeds.