Lincoln's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Lincoln 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 Lincoln sits at the 19th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Lincoln compares

USGS's underlying values for Lincoln: 0.037g peak ground acceleration, 0.077g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Nebraska alone, Lincoln ranks 11 of 32 cities by seismic hazard - the 68th percentile in-state. Lincoln has a population of about 300,619.

What a retrofit costs in Lincoln

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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska.

What this means for insurance

A Lincoln 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 Lincoln's figures come from

Lincoln'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 Lincoln.